Homecoming
by Patalena
Summary: A sequel to Changes. Vlad has adjusted to being the Grand High Vampire, and when he must return to Stokely for the first time in 20 years he discovers that a lot has happened in his absence. Soon an unexpected threat leads to doubt and betrayal.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is a sequel to the story 'Changes'. It takes place 20 years after Vlad leaves Stokely to be the Grand High Vampire. I'm going to try to update as often as possible, though it may sometimes be a while between updates. That's about all the new information since last time. Reviews are welcome as they have always been, and I hope you enjoy the story.

* * *

><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

_Maybe I should have stayed back in my tent,_ Vlad thought as he dodged just in time to avoid a stake aimed at his heart. He disarmed his attacker and drove the stake into its owner's chest with deadly precision. It was the determining battle of a long and arduous military campaign and Vladimir Dracula, the Grand High Vampire, was in the thick of it. All around him the fighting raged, screams and blood and dust filling the air. He tackled another of the enemy to the ground and grabbed his head with both hands. With one strong twist Vlad separated the vampire's head from his body. Both parts turned to dust and Vlad got up to continue the fight.

When the fighting stopped Vlad looked out over the moonlit battlefield and surveyed the aftermath. Only the unharmed or wounded remained; the slain were dust. He himself had sustained deep gash that extended along the side of his face, as well a rather large wound from when one of the enemy had tried to stake him in the back. Both would heal soon enough. At least he didn't need that lung in the meantime.

He recognized one of his generals approaching from across the battlefield, limping as he healed from his own injuries. "It appears we are the victors, General Petrescu."

The general nodded, observing the able bodied vampires helping the wounded. Some of the defeated vampires had begun to flee, either flitting away on foot or by taking flight as bats. "What are your orders, Your Grandness?"

"Find the ones that are ours and take them back to the camp," he said, not taking his eyes from the scene before them. "If Khan survived, bring him to me. Slay the rest."

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

"Welcome home, Your Grandness."

"Thank you, Helena," Vlad responded. Helena had been waiting for him at the door of the castle when he arrived. She was Vlad's favorite assistant out of several he'd been given upon his coronation, and had to be the most congenial vampire he had ever met. She was beautiful as well, but what vampiress wasn't?

He handed his traveling cape to one of the servants and his bodyguards, Nicolai and Dmitri, did the same. Nicolai was the senior of the two, having served the Grand High Vampire who preceded Vlad. Tall and athletic with closely cropped black hair and brown eyes, he was a formidable protector. Dmitri was a younger vampire recently recruited into the service of the Grand High Vampire. Nicolai was training him to be one of the secondary bodyguards of the Grand High Vampire. They followed close behind as Helena and Vlad walked to his study. "I prepared the execution orders for Abdas Khan; they await your signature," Helena said as they walked.

Vlad groaned. He had hoped to have some time to rest before getting back to business. "More paperwork? It would have been easier if I killed him outright." No one was standing next to him with a pen and legal forms when he was on the battlefield.

"Yes sir," she agreed automatically. "You'll find them on your desk. I also took the liberty of having the servants bring up a mug of warm blood for you."

"Is there news from the Council?"

"Councilor Kwan requested an audience with you to discuss the recent developments in Mongolia. Count Vitali sent a strongly worded letter expressing his displeasure with your recent edict on breather relations. Councilor Ngala submitted a draft of his assessment of slayer activity in his homeland, and Councilor Markovic sends his regrets that he will be unable to attend the next meeting of the Council due to a peasant problem."

Nicolai and Dmitri took their places to stand guard by the door of Vlad's study as he and Helena went inside. "See if you can schedule time for me to meet with Kwan by the end of this week," Vlad said as he went to his desk and found the papers Helena had placed there. Flipping through the pages, he quickly read the contents and signed by his name at the end. Handing them back to Helena, he added, "And tell Count Vitali that my word on the matter is final."

She nodded. "I shall see to both immediately. Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?"

"That will be all, Helena. You may go."

"Thank you, sir. And, if I may say, congratulations on your victory over the rebels, Your Grandness."

Vlad nodded to her and watched as she left, closing the door behind her. He dropped into the antique chair behind his desk and sighed. It felt good to be home.

The journey back to Transylvania from the steppes had been tiring. He sipped from the mug that had been waiting for him, savoring the richness of the fresh blood. Such simple pleasures had been difficult to find on the field of battle. Vlad looked to the piles of paperwork that had accumulated in his absence. It wasn't easy to return to the tedious work of his office after the excitement of war.

He wasn't even supposed to fight; it was unprecedented for the Grand High Vampire to risk his life, or rather, unlife on the battlefield. The Grand High Vampire was expected to remain in the safety and comfort of his castle and leave the fighting to his generals.

Vlad was tired of spending his existence being constantly watched over by bodyguards. He was stronger and faster than any known vampire, and he had yet to encounter an opponent with skills even close to his, so it wasn't much of a risk for him to fight in one battle. Besides that, he hoped to bolster support for the campaign by joining his troops at a crucial time. Even though he was the Chosen One, many of the things Vlad had done in the twenty years since he took the throne had not helped him gain the favor of the vampire community.

Ushering in a new era for his people wasn't easy, and had required Vlad to do things he never thought he would do – things he never wanted to do. Many times those difficult decisions helped make the world safer for breathers, completely unbeknownst to them. Recreational breather hunting had been outlawed, and incentives had been established for non-lethal feeding techniques and finding alternative blood sources. But compromises had to be made.

He opened the bottom drawer of his desk and reached inside, practiced fingertips easily finding the square of paper squeezed behind a stack of files. He extracted the object from the drawer and brought it into the light. Gazing at the snapshot in his hand, Vlad allowed himself a sad smile. It was an unremarkable photograph; three children with their arms around each other's shoulders, all grinning at the camera. They were at a carnival on a sunny summer day. A blonde girl with her hair tied into two braids occupied the left side of the image, and on the right stood a dark haired boy with brown eyes. And in the middle – smiling without a care in the world – was Vlad. He had been twelve years old when the photo was taken, back before his 'condition' had banished him from the sunlight and all normal things like carnivals… and friends.

Seeing himself as a young boy made Vlad's dead heart ache as he wished he could return to that time of happiness. How many hours had he spent staring at that picture, wondering what had happened to his childhood friends, wondering what his life could have been like if he had not been born a vampire?

Placing the snapshot back in its hiding place, Vlad turned his attention to the present matter of the enormous pile of paperwork on his desk. As he reached for the first paper on top of one of the piles Vlad heard footsteps approaching and Nicolai's order to halt. "Let me in!" a voice on the other side demanded.

"His Grandness is not to be disturbed, and you aren't scheduled to meet with him," Nicolai replied.

"Oh, he's not to be disturbed, is he? You tell that breather-lover I want to see him immediately!"

The door cracked open and Dmitri stuck his head in. "I'm sorry to bother you, Your Grandness, but Count Vitali is here and wishes to speak with you. Shall we send him away?"

Vlad shook his head. "No, it's alright, let him in."

Having heard Vlad's response, Count Vitali pushed past Dmitri and entered the study. Dmitri closed the door again as the Council's liaison representative strode over to Vlad's desk. "You have a lot of nerve, Dracula!"

Vlad frowned but overlooked Count Vitali's use of such a familiar name with him. Count Vitali always had difficulty respecting his authority, but Vlad had resolved long ago not to execute Council members for personal reasons, no matter how disrespectful they could be. "What is it now?"

"Your new law prohibiting recreational breather hunting is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of in all my years serving this government. It had better be some sort of sick joke!"

Vlad's eyes narrowed at him. "Do I look like I'm joking, _Count_ Vitali?"

"The Council would never have allowed this! And you can't create a new law without approval from the Council!"

"I think you'll find I can. 'In times when the greater vampire community is threatened by outside forces, the Grand High Vampire may issue laws _without seeking the approval of the Council_ in order to protect against immediate danger'. The 1499 Statute on Secrecy, section seven, paragraph nine," he quoted effortlessly, having read and re-read the archaic statute dozens of times over.

Count Vitali was visibly riled. Vlad imagined his face would have flushed bright red if he had the ability. "What danger? What outside forces?"

"The recent increase in peasant mobs has also led to an increased number of slayings. The Committee on Breather Activity has concluded that breather hunting often precedes the formation of peasant mobs. I created the law to reduce slayings; therefore I had every right to do so without the approval of the Council _or anyone else_."

Count Vitali let out a harsh laugh. "The peasant mobs have existed for centuries! They are no more a threat to us now than they have ever been. I assume that next you'll make a law against killing breathers for any reason at all! Even for food! That's been your plan all along, hasn't it? You didn't do this for the good of vampires; you did it because you're nothing but a pathetic breather-lover! You slaughter your own people but protect them!"

"That is enough," Vlad said, getting to his feet. He had limited patience for being shouted at, and that patience was running out.

Count Vitali ignored the warning tone in Vlad's voice, continuing to rant. "You and your precious breathers! But I can see you don't care enough to stop drinking their blood! You simply have your servants do the dirty work for you! You hypocrite!"

For a brief moment Vlad entertained the idea of breaking his promise and slaying Count Vitali just to shut him up, but decided it wasn't worth it. He took a breath to calm himself and then called for Nicolai, knowing his bodyguard could hear him on the other side of the door.

Nicolai was inside immediately, ushering Count Vitali out of the room. "You're a disgrace to vampirekind! Traitor!" Count Vitali cried as he was pulled away.

Vlad could hear Count Vitali cursing him all the way down the corridor. His voice faded into silence, but his words echoed in Vlad's head. Vlad picked up his mug and then put it back down. He had lost his appetite.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hopefully the wait for chapter 2 has not been too long. The draft was very rough and giving me a lot of trouble so I ended up completely rewriting it. It has turned out a bit heavier on exposition than chapter 1, but I'm (finally) satisfied with the results. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

* * *

><p>Vlad's meeting with Count Vitali on the night he returned from the war wasn't the first time he had been faced with an outraged member of the Council, and it probably wouldn't be the last. His relationship with the Council had been marked by varying levels of conflict since the beginning of his reign. He had reason to suspect that some of the members of the Council in fact belonged to the Brotherhood of Shadows – a secret society of vampires who sought to preserve the old ways, and who hated Vlad for encouraging vampires to peacefully coexist with humans.<p>

The Brotherhood held a great deal of influence in vampire society, and when Abdas Khan began his attempted revolution it soon became clear that he had their support. With the Brotherhood's seemingly unlimited resources on his side, what should have been only a minor uprising turned into a full-fledged war.

Of course Vlad had not spent the entire war fighting battles in foreign lands. He spent the majority of his time overseeing the more mundane matters of government from the safety of his castle in Transylvania. If there was one benefit to being the Grand High Vampire, it had to be the castle. Nestled high in the Transylvanian Alps, it served as the seat of government for the vampire kingdom. When Vlad first arrived as a teenager he had been overwhelmed by the gothic opulence concealed behind those high stone walls.

The castle was where Vlad lived since coming to Transylvania, and where the Council met every month. The war divided loyalties among the councilors, though Vlad sensed that even those on his side were beginning to question whether he was experienced enough to rule. Shortly after his return, Vlad called a special meeting of the Council in the hopes of winning back some of their support.

The marble statues and grand tapestries adorning the castle no longer impressed Vlad. He did not even spare them a sideways glance as he strode down the corridor to the Council Chamber, his cape flowing behind him. Vlad stopped at the doors of the Council Chamber and straightened his crown. The cape and crown were part of the ceremonial attire the Grand High Vampire was expected to wear at events such as Council sessions, and it was useful in reminding those around him of his authority. He normally preferred less ostentatious clothing, and was likely the first Grand High Vampire in history to not spend all his time parading around in formal regalia. Vlad nodded to the guards waiting at either side of the entrance and they opened the doors for him and his bodyguards. The councilors all sat at the long mahogany table in the center of the candlelit room, talking amongst themselves in hushed voices. As Vlad entered they stopped talking and stood.

"Good evening," he said to them. Vlad took his seat at the head of the table, and the Council also sat.

Nicolai and Dmitri remained standing behind him. Nicolai refused to leave Vlad alone with the Council ever since councilors Dreyer and Mitchell had attacked him with stakes in the early days of the rebellion. He had come to Vlad's rescue in seconds, slaying both assailants. The rest of the Council knew not to make any sudden moves around the Grand High Vampire after that.

"I've called you here tonight because we stand at the beginning of a new era. Four years ago Abdas Khan and the Brotherhood of Shadows began their efforts to overthrow my rule. They claimed that my policies were too sympathetic toward humans; that I failed to fulfill the prophecy to bring vampires out of hiding to subjugate the breathers. Regardless of what any prophecy may say, I've made it clear since becoming Grand High Vampire that I will not condone the advancement of our species through unnecessary violence against humans. Some of you remained loyal to me. Others sided with the rebels, and are regrettably no longer with us. Some," Vlad looked to Count Vitali, "may not have joined the rebels, but have questioned _my_ loyalties. Perhaps they supported the enemy in secret."

A few of the councilors shifted uncomfortably at Vlad's implication, but Vlad pretended not to notice. Instead he put on his most benevolent smile. "I want to say that I forgive those who lacked faith in me. I want to set aside our differences and begin anew in our common purpose, to create a peaceful future for all vampires… which brings me to our first point of business this evening. Though the war is over there is still much to do. As you are all aware, Abdas Khan will die at sunrise three nights from now, and you are all invited to attend." The second he finished his speech, soft murmurs broke out around the table.

Councilor Constantine spoke up above the others and said, "With all due respect, Your Grandness, would it be wise at this time to execute Khan? It may serve to make him a martyr to his cause and sway the loyalty of your subjects in favor of our enemies."

The murmuring died down again as the councilors awaited Vlad's response. "The rebellion has been crushed on the battlefield, but now is the time to send a strong message to any who would consider taking up Khan's cause. I want all vampires to know that those who turn against this government will be punished."

"_This government_? Don't you mean those who turn against _you_?" Councilor Moreau sneered at Vlad from the far end of the table. "You've acted against the wishes of the Council plenty of times, if you even bother to consult us at all. It was your radical policies trying to change our way of life that divided our people and caused the war."

"It was Khan's disregard for the law that started the war," Vlad replied calmly.

"Abdas Khan is a hero, he tried to preserve the true vampiric way of life, unlike you, _Your Grandness_," Moreau spat. "And I refuse to take part in this pathetic charade any longer." With that he shoved his chair back and stormed from the room.

Moreau's dramatic exit was met by wordless shock from the rest of the Council. "I'll escort him out, sir," Dmitri whispered to Vlad. He nodded and Dmitri left to follow Councilor Moreau.

The meeting ended shortly after and Vlad went directly back to his study after leaving the Council Chamber. It was the one place he could find peace. He needed a chance to collect his thoughts and decide how to proceed after Councilor Moreau's unexpected departure. If Moreau did not return to the Council, it would be a detriment to Vlad's attempts to win the confidence of the Council. Being the Grand High Vampire was turning out to be far more difficult than he ever imagined.

Shutting the door of his study behind him, Vlad leaned back against it and closed his eyes. As he stood there taking a few slow breaths he wondered how he had gotten himself into this. He knew the answer, of course. He had been reminded of it so many times since he first met the Elders – it was his destiny. What luck. He had spent many years denying his destiny, but the Elders were never wrong.

The Elders were the six oldest vampires in existence, with lifespans reaching back over two thousand years. While revered for their wisdom, the Elders were also feared by other vampires for their unusual powers. Their aura of mystery was only enhanced by the fact they rarely surfaced from below ground. An ancient tunnel connected the castle's crypts to a chamber carved from the solid rock of the mountain. There in the darkness they slept until called upon for their insight.

One such time came shortly after Vlad's return to Transylvania, over twenty years ago…

* * *

><p>Vlad stayed close to Nicolai as he led the teenage vampire down yet another unfamiliar corridor. Servants and guards stared at Vlad as he passed by. He knew of his infamous reputation as the slayer of the Grand High Vampire, and the stares only served as yet another reminder of it. Upon arriving at the castle he had been escorted to a windowless room and not allowed to leave except when brought before the Council for questioning. He could not be sure if the locked door and guards were meant to keep him safe or keep him prisoner. Bottles of peasant blood and a coffin were provided for him, leaving him with little to do but wait until the night Nicolai brought him news that the Council had summoned the Elders to decide his fate.<p>

They followed a labyrinth of passageways leading to an uncharacteristically rundown part of the castle where the corridors were empty of other people. Fewer and fewer candles lit their way as they walked, until Nicolai eventually stopped at one of the darkened rooms. At first Vlad wondered if they were in the right place. He looked up at Nicolai, waiting for an indication of what he should do.

"I cannot go with you," Nicolai said, providing an answer to Vlad's unspoken question.

Vlad nodded in understanding. Feeling oddly like he was reliving his transformation from only a few months earlier, Vlad approached the doorway. A faint glow of candlelight from the outside spilled into the pitch-black room. Vlad stepped inside and caught a brief glimpse of the shriveled creatures within, their skeletal frames draped with black capes. They all had the same blank white eyes. Before he could see anything else the door shut behind him, plunging him into absolute darkness. His enhanced vampire eyesight, which allowed him to see at night, was of no use to him. He blindly took a few steps into the room and stopped.

A voice from across the room asked, "Who is this young vampire?" His question echoed off the stone walls.

Vlad hesitantly answered, "I am Vladimir Dracula."

"Why are you here, Vladimir Dracula?"

"I… I slayed the Grand High Vampire."

"That is most impressive." The voice was suddenly closer, as though one of the Elders was standing right next to him. "How was one so young able to slay the Grand High Vampire?"

Vlad shrugged, not sure if they could see the gesture. "I was lucky?"

"You cannot deceive us," another of the Elders said from behind him. "You know that you are the Chosen One. There is no doubt."

Vlad stopped breathing altogether as the words hung in the air. "How do you know that?"

Yet another voice near him answered, "The prophecy originated from one who is among us. We have seen the death of your predecessor, and your rise to power. The time has come for you to take your rightful place on the throne."

Learning that the Elders knew he was the Chosen One all along left Vlad speechless. He had been told that the Elders could discern the future, but he assumed it was only a legend. It was too much to believe. As he stood in the darkness, surrounded by ancient vampires, Vlad replied, "I can't… I'm not ready."

"It is your time now, Chosen One. Your people need you to lead them."

"But I don't know how to lead anyone. I can't be the Grand High Vampire."

"We are not asking," one of the Elders replied in a tone that made it clear to Vlad that he did not have the option to refuse. Six pairs of white eyes began to glow in the darkness around him. It started softly at first, then grew brighter and brighter until Vlad couldn't see anything but the blinding light.

* * *

><p>Opening his eyes again, Vlad shivered slightly as he looked around his study. Just thinking about the Elders always sent a chill through him. He could never remember what happened after the light overwhelmed his senses. The next thing he knew, he awoke with a terrible headache inside of a new coffin in the crypt he now called his own. The Elders must have done something to him, because after that night his powers were strengthened and he found that he possessed some entirely new abilities. Vlad decided he was better off not knowing.<p>

Undoing the clasp on his cape, he shrugged the garment from his shoulders and hung it on a hook by the door. At his desk he removed the crown of power and set it aside before turning his attention to the heap of paperwork still waiting for his attention. He picked up a report from the top of the pile and began to read.

* * *

><p>As dawn approached, Vlad decided he had done enough for one night. He descended the torch-lined staircase leading down to his crypt, having left Nicolai and Dmitri at the top of the stairs. The private quarters of the Grand High Vampire were hidden in the depths of the castle, his crypt being in the lowest level. A perpetual chill hung in the air in this part of the castle.<p>

A single unmarked door at the bottom of the stairs led to Vlad's daytime refuge. Upon reaching the landing he opened the door with a nearly undetectable wave of his hand. At a glance the crypt appeared drab with plain stone walls and floor, lit by candles that ignited when Vlad entered. His coffin rested on a single block of smooth black marble in the middle of the room. The coffin itself was made of ebony, adorned with the crest of the Grand High Vampire and carvings of dragons, the symbol of the Dracula family. They perched on their clawed feet atop piles of human bones while they held their bat-like wings outstretched.

Opening the lid of his coffin, Vlad expected it to be empty as it was every morning, but what he found inside shocked him. Someone had driven a wooden stake through his pillow. A scrap of unlined paper rested next to it with one word written in bold red letters: SOON.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: After this chapter I'm going to try to upload new chapters more often, since my goal is to get most of the story uploaded this month.

* * *

><p>"I don't know how this happened," Nicolai said, staring intensely at the note as though doing so would yield an answer.<p>

Vlad stood nearby, watching Nicolai and Dmitri investigate the scene. "Did anyone have access to my quarters?"

Dmitri shook his head. "The guards on duty didn't see anything out of the ordinary, but they can't cover every passageway in this area. It is possible someone got by them."

"That isn't what I wanted to hear," Vlad replied, letting a low growl enter his voice.

"However it got here, it is clearly a threat. What is troubling is that whoever left it managed to do so without being discovered."

After a tense moment, Vlad broke the silence. "I think I know who is responsible."

Dmitri appeared surprised by Vlad's claim. "Who was it, Your Grandness?"

"The Brotherhood. It appears they are switching tactics. They could not convince me to change my policies through diplomacy, and now that Abdas Khan's revolution has failed they have no choice but to kill me."

Dmitri pulled the stake from Vlad's pillow, sending a few feathers into the air. He examined it closely, turning it over in his hands. "There," he said, pointing to the shaft of the stake. "It's the mark of the Brotherhood." Someone had carved a winged helmet into the stake – the Greek god Hades' helmet, used by the Brotherhood of Shadows to symbolize their ability to evade detection. Lowering the weapon to his side, he added, "There's no doubt – this is their doing."

"But how did they do it? There aren't many outsiders who could find their way down to my crypt without being caught."

"Precisely," Nicolai agreed. "Whoever did this knew what they were doing. Which is why, with your permission sir, I wish to increase security immediately, and have guards stationed here and at the entrances to the castle at all times."

Vlad frowned. He could just imagine being kept locked in the castle under constant watch. "I've received death threats before this. I will not be intimidated by these cowards." One look from Nicolai told Vlad that he could not hide the fact that the threat against his life had left him shaken. But Vlad had no intention of admitting it. "Fine," Vlad said. "So be it." He looked down at the remains of his pillow and held back a sigh. "You may leave."

While Dmitri obediently left the crypt carrying the stake, Nicolai stayed behind. "What is it, Nicolai?" Vlad asked without looking up.

"Sir, I wish you would be more careful. I know you've encountered hostility from rogue vampires and the impulsive followers of Abdas Khan in the past, but the Brotherhood of Shadows is different. They are cunning and ruthless, and above all they are patient. The Brotherhood will stop at nothing to slay you."

Closing the lid of his coffin, Vlad met Nicolai's gaze and calmly replied, "That's what I have you for, Nicolai – to ensure that they don't."

"I can't protect you as well as I should if you take unnecessary risks. You know how I felt about letting you fight in the war. You may be powerful, Your Grandness, but you are not invincible."

"I know I'm not, but I made my choice and you must respect that. Besides, I seem to remember promising to stake you myself if you tried to keep me from joining the battle."

"An order I never should have obeyed. As the Grand High Vampire you are too valuable to risk being slain on the battlefield."

"But you let me go anyway... Ah, so maybe you want to see me dead as well," Vlad said, teasing him. His smile vanished as he grew serious. "I wouldn't blame you," he admitted. "I did slay your former master… I know how that must have upset you."

Nicolai's posture tensed immediately upon hearing Vlad mention the previous Grand High Vampire. Vlad rarely spoke of how he came to be Grand High Vampire, and he never discussed it with Nicolai. It was undoubtedly a sensitive subject, and talking about it seemed cruel. Nicolai bowed his head. "Sir, regardless of my past feelings toward you, I am sworn to protect the Grand High Vampire at all cost. As long as you are the Grand High Vampire, I would die before allowing you to be harmed."

Vlad found Nicolai's declaration almost touching. If there was one thing Vlad liked about him, it was that unwavering loyalty. It was a quality that made him feel as though Nicolai was the one vampire he could fully trust. "Nicolai, may I ask you something?"

"Anything, Your Grandness."

"What do you think of Dmitri?"

"Sir?" Nicolai appeared puzzled by the sudden change of topic.

"He is nearing the completion of his training, is he not?"

"He is."

"And after all this time you've spent working with him and teaching him, you know him very well, is that correct?"

"Yes."

"So what do you think of him?"

Nicolai paused as though deliberating before answering. "He is young. Impulsive at times, but readily accepts orders. He lacks experience, but he shows a great deal of promise."

"I am pleased that you think so," Vlad replied. "I want him promoted."

"Promoted, Your Grandness?"

"When his training is complete, I want him to continue working with you," Vlad explained. "After all, you did say you wanted to increase security. What better way is there to do that than for me to have both of you to protect me?"

"Perhaps you're right. Dmitri would be able to take over my duties should anything happen to me, and I am confident that he is prepared to serve you."

Vlad nodded. "Then it's settled. Please go and give Dmitri the good news."

Nicolai bowed before letting himself out of Vlad's crypt.

* * *

><p>The sky was still dark as Vlad settled into his seat under a canopy adjacent to the southern side of castle. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, and the moon cast faint shadows on the packed earth. The perfect weather for an execution.<p>

A large argentallium cage stood empty nearby. Death by dawn was uncommon since he had become Grand High Vampire. When he wanted to make an example out of someone Vlad usually preferred a more public staking, when spectators could sit out in the open to watch instead of having to hide from the deadly rays of the sun. Only a few Councilors and his best military generals were in attendance this time. Despite the inconvenience, Vlad felt that in this particular instance called for something more impressive than a staking, though he didn't have the stomach for a truly authentic execution by dawn.

In a traditional execution a portion of the ground in the courtyard would be prepared with a covering of fresh crushed garlic cloves. After sunset the condemned would be bound by argentallium to four posts and a stake would be driven through their torso, pinning them to the ground. They would then be left that way to suffer until the next morning when the sun finished them off. It was said the screams could be heard echoing in the mountains all night. Vlad had never witnessed it, but he couldn't imagine a worse way for a vampire to die. Luckily for Abdas Khan, Vlad still had some measure of compassion for his enemies. His death would be quick.

As a red glow in the horizon signaled the approaching sunrise, four guards escorted the chained prisoner out of the castle. They pushed him into the cage and locked it before retreating to the shelter of the canopy.

After spending over a week in the dungeons with nothing but rats to feed from, Khan must have been weakened, but it didn't show. Normally, condemned prisoners would be led to their deaths either begging for their lives or in a state of silent despair, but as Vlad looked upon his greatest enemy he saw only a proud and defiant warrior. Khan scowled as his yellow eyes locked onto the Grand High Vampire.

Vlad cleared his throat and said, "Abdas Khan, you have been found guilty of conspiracy and treason. Your punishment for these crimes is death by dawn. Do you have anything to say before the sun rises?"

Khan laughed, a harsh dry laugh. In a rasping voice he said, "You may kill me today but your death also draws near, breather lover. Others will carry on my work long after I'm gone. I only wish I could have been the one to slay you, _Your Grandness_."

The first rays of sun spilled over the horizon, and Khan's mocking laughter turned to shrieks as the light fell upon him. From the shadows Vlad watched him burst into flames. The screams trailed off as the writhing mass of fire burned brightly, then went out. A pile of ash and a pair of manacles at the bottom of the cage were all that remained of the rebel leader.

Having seen enough, Vlad got up from his seat and went back into the castle. His generals could stay to watch the wind scatter Khan's dust; his work was done.

* * *

><p>The days following Khan's execution passed uneventfully.<p>

"You know you don't need to be by my side all the time," Vlad said to Nicolai as the bodyguard followed him into his study early one evening. He was growing tired of Nicolai's constant hovering. "It's just going to be a short talk with Constantine and Kwan."

Nicolai waved away a servant setting down the tray with Vlad's usual mug of blood. "We still don't know who is responsible for the threat against you," he said, crossing his arms and fixing his master with a look which Vlad knew meant he wasn't going to concede. "I'm not comfortable letting you meet with members of the Council alone, even if they do claim to be your allies."

Vlad wasn't in the mood to argue a lost cause. "Right, bring them in." As Nicolai stepped outside to retrieve the councilors, Vlad went over to his desk where the fresh blood waited for him. He lifted the mug to his lips and took a sip.

A split second passed before he was hit with a searing pain in his stomach that quickly spread outward as the fire raced through his veins. He cried out, dropping the mug and spilling blood everywhere. Nicolai rushed in, followed by the two councilors. "Nic—" Vlad gasped, nearly doubled over.

"Stay back!" Nicolai warned the councilors, horror written across his face as he realized what was happening.

Vlad grabbed at the edge of the desk to support himself, but the agony overpowered him and he crashed to the floor. He felt himself being turned so he lay on his back. The last thing Vlad saw as his vision faded was Nicolai looking down at him.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: This chapter is kind of short, but the next one will be significantly longer and feature the return of several canon characters. I also want to say thanks to everyone who left reviews so far.

* * *

><p>Nicolai had failed. He had one responsibility: protect the Grand High Vampire. Protect the Chosen One. Now he sat by Vladimir's coffin, with nothing to do but wait.<p>

The blood had been poisoned. Nicolai never thought to check it, to have one of the servants taste it first. He was foolish to believe the blood supply was safe.

He knew something was wrong when he first saw Vladimir hunched over as though he'd been punched in the gut. Nicolai ordered the councilors back outside in case an assassin had been lurking in the office, but then he saw the shards of ceramic and the spilt blood quickly soaking into the antique carpet. The Grand High Vampire fell before Nicolai could reach him. As Nicolai knelt beside him and turned him over, he knew it was already too late. Vladimir looked up at him with unfocused eyes which then closed as he lay still.

Fearing the worst, Nicolai made the two councilors swear not to speak of what they had seen in hope of buying time to decide what to do. He feared what would happen when the news of the Grand High Vampire's affliction spread. Dmitri and some of the other castle guards cleared the corridors so Nicolai could carry Vladimir from his office to his crypt without being seen, but the Grand High Vampire's absence would not go unnoticed. Sooner or later someone would start asking questions.

Down in the crypt Nicolai placed Vladimir into his coffin and sent Dmitri to summon Milos to the castle. Milos was widely known to be the best alchemist in the country, and while he quickly confirmed that the blood had been poisoned, there was nothing he could do for Nicolai's master. According to Milos, Vladimir was lucky he wasn't dust already; if he had ingested more of the poison than he did he wouldn't have stood a chance. With no cure for the poison, they left Vladimir in his coffin to rest and hopefully recover.

Now he lay there, cold and unmoving, his arms folded across his chest. He wasn't even breathing, an annoying habit he had never fully managed to quit. Just this once Nicolai would welcome the sound of air moving in and out of his lungs. If only he would wake and show there was still some unlife in him yet. He had slept through the entire day and it was nearing dawn again when Dmitri entered the crypt. He had spent the night investigating the blood supplies and questioning the servants. Nicolai glanced up when he walked in. "Did you find anything?"

Dmitri shook his head. "Has there been any change?" he asked, standing beside Nicolai and looking down at Vladimir.

Nicolai "No. Still nothing."

"Let me take over for a while. You must be tired. At least get something to eat."

"Later," Nicolai replied, not taking his eyes off of his master's still form. It was true he was tired, but he wasn't going to leave until he knew Vladimir would be alright. As he stared at Vladimir he detected a brief, almost imperceptible movement. Perhaps it was only a trick of the light, but he thought he saw Vladimir's hand twitch. He leaned forward to watch closely.

"What is it?" Dmitri asked.

Right then Vladimir groaned and his eyes slowly opened. "He's awake!" Dmitri gasped softly. Nicolai said nothing, both shocked and relieved to see that Vladimir had revived from his deathlike state.

"What happened?" Vladimir asked shakily as he pulled himself into a seated position.

"You are going to be fine," Nicolai replied, perhaps more to reassure himself than his master. "You were poisoned, but fortunately you did not receive a lethal dose."

"Blood."

Nicolai bowed his head. "Yes, it was the blood. I'm afraid I did not do enough to protect you. You may punish me as you see fit, Your Grandness." He imagined himself being staked that very night. _It is no less than I deserve,_ he thought.

Vladimir coughed and grimaced. "No, I need blood. I'm hungry." He did look famished. His cheeks were sunken and his normally pale skin had turned a dull grey.

"Of course," Nicolai said as he helped Vladimir out of his coffin. He had made arrangements for such a request, and Dmitri passed the message to the guards standing watch outside the crypt. Within seconds two bound and trembling breathers where brought in. Vladimir tensed as though to pounce the moment they entered, but somehow he managed to restrain himself. The strength of his self-control never failed to amaze Nicolai.

"What's this?" he asked, a hint of disapproval entering his voice.

"This is the only way to know the blood is pure," Nicolai explained. Normally all the blood Vladimir drank was siphoned from local villagers who then had their memories erased. He only bit breathers on occasions when tradition demanded it, and at that he was usually hostile toward the ceremonial requirements. His coronation had been a near disaster. Even now Nicolai could see Vladimir's reluctance to feed, despite his obvious need for blood. But not even the Chosen One could fully conquer the bloodlust once it took hold, and Nicolai sensed his resolve weakening. "We'll give you some time alone." Vladimir nodded and Nicolai signaled the other guards to also leave the crypt. He closed the door as Vladimir advanced on the breathers.

A short time later, after the screams had faded, the Grand High Vampire emerged from his crypt fully restored to health. Nicolai silently noted his satisfied smile as he wiped a trace of blood from his mouth. "That's much better."

* * *

><p>"It had to be someone in the castle," Nicolai muttered, pacing back and forth in front of Vlad's desk. "It's the only way it could have been done."<p>

Vlad sat as though listening to Nicolai think aloud, but was not hearing a word he said. He could still smell the blood dried into the dark carpet. He got up and went to the fireplace where flames danced in the grate, crackling as they filled the room with warmth and flickering light. The fire mesmerized him as he remembered the event that doomed him to this existence tainted by blood. He had only a vague memory of the merging, but he remembered the agony which he never believed he would survive. Physically he didn't survive. Of course it wasn't really death for him, merely a transition to what he was meant to be. When his time eventually came – and he knew one day it would – being slain couldn't possibly be worse than that.

"Your Grandness," Nicolai said, noticing Vlad staring blankly into the fire. "Did you hear me?"

Blinking as his thoughts were interrupted, Vlad looked up from the flames. "I'm sorry Nicolai, what were you saying?"

"It's not safe here," he repeated. "We need to get you away from Transylvania. It will only be for a while, until the assassin is found."

"You expect me to run away? Hide? That is exactly what the Brotherhood wants – to go me out of the way." Fleeing from a threat was not in Vlad's nature. Only the weak did such a thing, not the Chosen One. He did not run from anything.

"Think of it as leaving until the situation improves."

"That sounds like running away," Vlad said dryly. "Whatever you want to call it, I can't leave. There is too much to be done here."

Vlad could tell he was trying the other vampire's patience as Nicolai took an uncharacteristic breath and exhaled through his teeth. "As long as there is someone in the castle trying to slay you, you will not be safe... or do you have a death wish?"

Vlad frowned. He wasn't sure how to feel about that question. His first reaction was indignation that Nicolai would suggest such a thing, but what if he did have a death wish? He had grown out of his self-loathing phase years ago, but when the pain and regret faded they left a sense of emptiness. At this point he didn't care one way or the other. Death, life, unlife... it was all the same. "No," he replied, unable to keep the weariness from his voice.

His response did little to convince Nicolai. "I've already made the arrangements for our journey. Dmitri and I will accompany you. No one will know where we are going, not even the Council. Anyone who asks will be told you are somewhere in Estonia."

"So where are we really going?" Vlad asked, imagining moving to a dark cave in some remote corner of the world.

"Wales. Stokely, to be precise."

Of course Nicolai would choose to send him to Stokely. It was such an obvious hiding place that it would likely be the last place his enemies would think to look. Vlad gave a sad laugh at the thought. "Home."


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: The good news is I'm posting this now while I've still got electricity. Earlier this week there was an earthquake, so naturally we're having a hurricane later tonight just to keep things interesting. The bad news is I may be without internet for a while because I'm right in the path of Irene. As promised, this chapter is longer than the last one, but I have no idea when I'll be able to upload the next chapter. Until then, I hope you enjoy chapter 5.

* * *

><p>A sleek black Mercedes with darkly tinted windows sped through the abandoned streets of Stokely, climbing the hill to Stokely Castle. The vehicle stopped abruptly at the rusted gates overgrown with wild vines. Dmitri got out of the driver's side of the car and opened the door for Vlad.<p>

Vlad emerged from the car and looked up at the castle. It hadn't changed much in the many years he had been away. It was just as run down as ever. The ruins were, as before, in ruins, and the rest of the castle didn't look much better, though at least it was still standing. To the casual observer it looked utterly abandoned. A sign by the gate warned people to stay out, citing an unstable structure. Scrubby grass grew in patches on the ground, and a single dead tree raised skeletal limbs skyward. He remembered planting the little sapling with Robin one spring long ago when he wanted to bring some life to the castle.

Gravel crunched beneath Vlad's shoes as he walked to the door, shadowed by Dmitri and Nicolai. He rang the bell and was soon greeted by a boil-ridden face Vlad first thought belonged to Renfield Sr., until he remembered Renfield must have aged since he left. "Master Vladimir!" Renfield exclaimed as soon as he saw Vlad. "Oh, you're home!" He stepped aside to let Vlad and his bodyguards enter the foyer. "I'll tell Mistress Ingrid you're here!" He scurried off into the gloom, leaving the new arrivals alone.

Deciding to have a look around, Vlad let himself into the great hall. Ingrid's decorative touch was evident in the dark upholstered furniture and table centerpiece made of skulls. His father's throne was gone, along with the Count's favorite antique paintings. Most of the artwork had been replaced by newer paintings of shadowy grim reapers and vampires preying on humans. He was admiring one of the paintings when Ingrid swept into the room. Renfield followed close behind Ingrid, saying, "Didn't I tell you he's back?"

"Shut up," Ingrid growled at Renfield.

"Hello Ingrid," Vlad said as she eyed the two guards standing nearby.

Planting her hands on her hips, she looked Vlad up and down, seemingly unimpressed by his expensive tailored clothing, elegant cape, and the crown of power perched neatly atop his head. "So my little brother returns at last. You couldn't let me know you were coming?"

Vlad was mildly surprised at Ingrid's lack of hostility; but of course he hadn't seen her in several years. Perhaps absence really did make the heart grow fonder. "I'm sorry, Ingrid. There wasn't time."

"And to what do I owe the honor of a visit from the Grand High Vampire?" she asked with an undercurrent or her ever-present sarcasm.

Glancing over at Nicolai, Vlad replied, "There is a difficult situation in Transylvania at the moment. I was forced to... relocate for the time being."

Ingrid sneered. Now that was the sister he remembered. "Don't tell me you're running away from an angry peasant mob."

"No, but I will need to stay here until the situation improves. I assumed you wouldn't mind." _Since the castle is technically mine_, he thought.

"Not at all," she replied tersely. "There are spare coffins in the crypt."

Vlad signaled Renfield to fetch his luggage and made himself comfortable on one of the new sofas. "Where's Will?" he asked.

"Hunting," Ingrid replied, remaining on her feet with her arms crossed and staring incredulously at Vlad. "Breathers."

She obviously wanted to see how Vlad would react to the news of Will hunting breathers, but he did not acknowledge it. "Have you heard from Dad?"

"Hmph. What do you think? Ever since he 'retired' I haven't heard a word."

Just then, a boy of about thirteen or fourteen walked in. "Mum, who was that at the—" he cut off mid-sentence when he saw Vlad.

"Damien, this is your uncle, Vladimir," she said, not taking her eyes off of Vlad. "He's going to be staying with us for a while."

Vlad stopped breathing as he stared at the boy. He had no idea Ingrid even had a son, but that wasn't the most shocking thing. Ingrid's son had the dark hair and light eyes of the Dracula family, though otherwise he looked remarkably like Will. Despite this, Vlad could have sworn he was looking at himself as a young boy. The same wide eyes and innocent face, and to top it all off the boy was wearing jeans and an orange short-sleeved shirt which he distinctly remembered being his own many years ago.

"Hello, Damien," Vlad said, quickly masking his astonishment.

"Hello sir," he replied. The boy clearly did not know who Vlad was. Looking to Ingrid he asked, "Is Dad back yet?"

Ingrid shook her head.

"He's not hunting breathers again, is he?"

"What if he is?"

The boy looked pained. "Why do you want to hurt innocent people? There are plenty of sheep for you to bite."

"Because we're vampires," Ingrid snapped. "All this talk of blood is making me thirsty. Go tell Renfield to bring us some refreshment."

Damien gave her one last disapproving look as he left for the kitchens. Ingrid noticed Vlad's eyes follow the boy out of the room. "He reminds me of you at that age – it's pathetic." Vlad didn't respond, so she went on, "I don't know where we went wrong in raising him."

A bat fluttered in through an open window, transforming into Will as it landed. "Ingrid, I – Oh, look who's here."

"Yes," Ingrid said, "he's finally decided to pay us a visit."

Will looked at Vlad with suspicion. "I hope you haven't come to tell us we can't hunt breathers anymore. I've heard about your radical policies on breather relations, you know. I'm forced to drink sheep's blood often enough around here."

"No, nothing like that," Vlad replied. "This is a personal visit." It seemed escaping the political turmoil of Transylvania wouldn't spare him from having to listen to complaints about his policies.

"On the subject of hunting, Damien was looking for you," Ingrid said to Will. "He looked ready to start crying over dead breathers again. You should have a talk with him."

"A talk. With my son, the wimpire," Will grumbled, throwing himself into an armchair. He looked to Vlad and asked, "I assume you've met Damien?"

"Yes, he's a very... interesting child," Vlad said, choosing his words carefully.

"He's _nice_," Ingrid hissed through her teeth, as though the very word contaminated the air. "It's disgraceful."

Vlad shrugged. "These things happen."

She gave Vlad her fiercest scowl. "This doesn't just 'happen'. It's probably genetic or something. Look at him. He's _you_."

Renfield entered carrying a tray with a bottle of blood and some of the Dracula family's best crystal.

"He certainly didn't get it from my side," Will said.

"I'm sure he'll grow out of it," Vlad muttered, accepting a glass of blood from Renfield. _I did._

* * *

><p>It didn't take long for the castle to start feeling like home again, though it wasn't quite the same with the Count gone. Vlad could clearly remember the letter his father had sent to tell him the news, though he couldn't believe it at the time. He always thought the Count would find a castle somewhere in Romania and spend his nights breaking into houses to bite breathers as they slept. Who could have predicted he would move to America? It seems he had heard about vampires in the northwest of the country who had delicious young breather women practically throwing themselves at them. The Count didn't believe it when Vlad told him it was only a rumor; there are no vampires in that part of the world, and certainly not vampires that sparkle in sunlight.<p>

He complained about the lack of castles, and he got bored after spending a few months in a farmhouse without a single breather woman barging in to offer her neck to him. He left America and had been happily living in a castle in Germany ever since.

Ingrid and Will had taken over most of the Count's rooms in the castle after he left. Vlad moved into a spare crypt because Damien was living in his old room, and he preferred the crypts now anyway.

The tower room wasn't the only thing Damien had claimed. He also had most of Vlad's old clothes. Ingrid told Vlad that she had Renfield put all of his old belongings in the attic to get them out of the way, and one day Damien had been exploring and found the boxes of breather clothes. Of course she never admitted that any member of the Dracula family would ever own such things, but that did not discourage Damien from insisting on wearing them.

Vlad made a discovery of his own shortly after moving back into the castle. Late one night he heard a familiar howl coming from somewhere below the castle. He followed the sound along a cobwebbed corridor until it led him to the dungeon. A suit of armor holding a sword blocked the door. "Step aside for the son and heir of Count Dracula," he commanded, and the suit of armor immediately moved out of Vlad's way to allow him into the dungeon. He quietly opened the door and peered around the dungeon, empty except for a couple for skeletons and a stuffed wolf lurking in the corner. "So you're the one making all that noise," Vlad said, breaking into a grin for the first time in years.

Zoltan wagged his tail happily as Vlad stepped into the dungeon. "Master Vlad! Am I glad to see you!"

* * *

><p>Renfield held a decapitated rabbit over the table by its hind legs, letting the blood drain into a glass as Ingrid watched impatiently. "Good evening, Master Vladimir," Renfield said. "Would you care for some freshly squeezed rabbit? We also have an excellent blood porridge."<p>

Vlad nodded as he sat down. Meanwhile, Renfield tried to wring the last drops of blood from the rabbit. "Give me that," Ingrid snapped, grabbing the glass away and drinking the whole thing at once. She grimaced and set the glass down on the table as Renfield left to get another rabbit. "Ugh. I can't believe I'm drinking _animal blood_."

"I found Zoltan last night in the dungeon," Vlad said. "What were you thinking, locking him up like that?"

"You mean that mangy old dog you used to play with? Dad wouldn't take him so I put him in storage."

"First of all, he's not a dog, he's a wolf. And second, you could have sent him to me instead of abandoning him like an old gargoyle."

Looking thoroughly uninterested, Ingrid replied, "Once again, my dear brother, you've forgotten the key element... I don't care."

Will entered the dining room, and after glaring at Vlad for sitting in his usual seat at the head of the table, sat next to Ingrid. "Where's my breakfast?"

"Renfield's getting it now... not that it's anything worth eating. We've run out of bottled breather blood again."

At that moment Renfield returned with a tray of porridge. When Renfield set one of the bowls in front of Vlad, he caught the scent of cow blood. He had not had cow blood since the last time he was in Stokely. "Where's Damien?" Vlad asked. He had only seen the boy at a few meals.

"He's eating in the kitchen again. I think he's actually afraid of you," Ingrid snorted.

Will laughed derisively. "I do believe that makes him the first."

Vlad shot Will a dark look across the table. "Then you really don't know me at all, do you?"

Something in Vlad's tone must have had an effect on Will and Ingrid, because they spent the rest of the meal in silence.

* * *

><p>Damien didn't know what to think of his Uncle Vladimir. He knew his uncle was the Grand High Vampire, which made him very important. He had also heard his parents call him 'The Chosen One', though he still wasn't sure what that meant. They used the phrase with such distain that he was afraid to ask.<p>

Vlad been in the castle a little over a week and Damien still hadn't really talked to him. He spent a lot of time in the great hall where his two bodyguards had helped set up a type of work area in one corner. Those guards were always hovering around him, never farther than the next room. Damien didn't like them. They reminded him of two tigers poised to strike at Vlad's command.

Damien hid quietly, watching Vlad as he stood over a table covered with maps and documents. The cuffs of his black shirt were unbuttoned and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows as he leaned over a large map of Europe, examining some small detail. Just then a wolf on a wheeled platform rolled into the room. Damien stifled a small gasp of surprise, drawing back into the shadows.

"Good evening, Master Vlad. Or should I say 'Your Grandness'?" the wolf asked.

"Hey Zoltan." He reached down to scratch behind the wolf's ears. "And don't call me that. I'm just Vlad."

One of Renfield's pet rats ran across Damien's foot, making him jump and accidentally bump into the suit of armor. Damien cringed as the metal rattled loudly. Suddenly something cold seized his neck and pulled him from his hiding place. In a split second he realized it was Vlad who held him, his eyes black and fangs bared. He recognized Damien just as quickly, and withdrew the hand he had around his nephew's throat.

"Damien, I'm sorry," he said, his features shifting back to normal. "You startled me. I hope I didn't hurt you."

He shook his head, unable to speak and in the meantime thinking,_ I thought you were going to kill me._ His heart was still pounding in his chest as he rubbed his throat and managed to say, "I'm fine."

"What were you doing hiding back there?"

"Nothing." He slowly inched backward, putting distance between them. He tried not to make his retreat obvious, but Vlad noticed it anyway.

"Are you frightened?" Vlad asked, studying him with clear blue eyes.

Damien froze. He didn't have to answer. His heartbeat gave it away.

"You needn't be afraid of me. We're more alike than you think," he smiled at Damien.

Before Damien could ask his uncle what he meant by that, the wolf rolled towards them and said, "Forgive me for intruding, Master Vlad, but who is this boy?"

"Zoltan, this is Damien. He's Ingrid's son. Damien, this is Zoltan, my stuffed wolf."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Master Damien," Zoltan said.

Looking up at Vlad, Damien asked, "He's a talking stuffed wolf?"

Vlad chuckled. "You'll get used to it. Zoltan has been a faithful friend to me for many years. In fact, I think the two of you will get along very well once you get to know each other."

Damien shrugged in half-hearted agreement. Zoltan seemed nice enough, but he wasn't sure if a stuffed wolf could be a good friend. After all, what would a vampire like Vlad know about friendship?

* * *

><p>Damien was more willing to eat meals with the family after a while. Soon Vlad could see that his presence wasn't the only source of the boy's reluctance.<p>

"Drink it. It's good for you." Ingrid pushed a glass of blood towards Damien.

He scrunched up his nose in disgust as he pushed it away. "I want a hamburger."

"Listen to your mother, boy," Will ordered, putting an unspoken threat behind his words.

When it came to training Damien, Ingrid displayed a level of emotional control like Vlad had never seen from her before. Ingrid was clearly determined to make her son a normal vampire. "I've told Renfield that you aren't allowed to have breather food until you've had some blood."

Damien reluctantly reached for the glass and lifted it to his lips. Shutting his eyes tightly, he took one quick gulp and shuddered before putting the glass down again. The smear of blood on Damien's lip nearly caused Vlad to shudder as well. Seeing his nephew's innocent face marred by blood stirred feelings of unease in his cold heart, though he wasn't sure why.

"That's my boy," Ingrid crooned to her son.

* * *

><p>"Come on you mutt," Robin Branagh grumbled. He pulled on the leash in his hand in an attempt to drag the cocker spaniel on the other end away from Mrs. Collins' petunias. "You're nothing but trouble, do you know that?" he asked the dog. Ethel had to be the most troublesome member of her species, specially bred for hyperactivity, shedding, and stubbornness.<p>

He wondered how the girls ever talked him into getting the dog in the first place. "'We promise we'll take care of him. You won't have to do anything. We'll wash him and feed him and walk him,'" he quoted them. "And who's out here in the dark walking the dog? I am."

The wind blew suddenly, bringing a chill with it. Something spooked Ethel, who jerked on the leash so hard that it slipped from his hand, trailing after her as she turned and ran back down the street. "Ethel! Ethel, come back here!" Robin called to her, but it was no use. Damn dog. Hopefully she was on her way home; otherwise he would be spending all night looking for her.

Robin started to follow her when he heard a fluttering sound like wings on the breeze. He stopped to listen. A crunch of dead leaves in the shadows raised the hair on the back of his neck. Something was out there, lurking in the dark. He began to take a step, and a deep voice from the darkness said, "It is useless to run, breather. Do not try."

It wasn't the warning that stopped Robin from running, but the name the voice used for him. Breather. It had been a long time since anyone had called him that. Despite his brain telling him to run and save himself, his curiosity kept him where he was. The vampire – yes, he knew it was a vampire – sounded vaguely familiar. Robin slowly turned to face him.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry for taking so long to get this chapter uploaded. I was planning on adding this chapter back at the beginning of September but I was called to a job a few days earlier than expected and never got the chance. Now that the job is done I have time to upload new chapters again.

* * *

><p>It had been twenty years since Robin had last been to the castle. Not long after Vlad's departure the rest of the Dracula family vanished, and the castle stood empty and decaying ever since. The fact that he had been caught by the Grand High Vampire's bodyguard could only mean one thing – that the new Grand High Vampire was in Stokely. But why? His mind raced with questions as the vampire escorted him through the rusted gate. Why would he take him here? His desire to find answers was one reason Robin allowed the vampire holding his arm to lead him to the castle, the other reason being that he sensed he didn't have the option of refusing.<p>

The door opened before them and the vampire pulled Robin into the great hall. "Sir, I found a breather."

A male figure stood over a table on the other side of the dimly lit room. Presumably he was the one Robin's captor addressed, but he didn't acknowledge the new arrivals as he remained focused on his work. Robin started to hyperventilate as fear took hold of him. Without looking up, the Grand High Vampire said, "Don't be afraid. It is not my intention to hurt you."

Despite a light Romanian accent, Robin thought he recognized the man's voice. At first he could not believe his ears, but as the guard dragged Robin closer the Grand High Vampire finally looked up from his work, and Robin immediately saw it was Vladimir Dracula. Impossible. He had been certain Vlad died years ago, when he left for Transylvania and Robin never heard from him again.

He hadn't changed one bit. Two decades gone by and he still looked little more than sixteen. Vlad looked at Robin as though he knew he had seen him before, but couldn't quite remember who he was. "Vlad," Robin whispered. As soon as his name passed Robin's lips, Vlad's expression of confusion changed to recognition.

"Robin?" he asked softly, walking around the table to approach Robin.

His guard dragged Robin forward as well. When they were only a few paces away from each other, the vampire suddenly put pressure on Robin's shoulder, pushing him to the floor. "Kneel, breather," he ordered as Robin landed hard on his hands and knees, gritting his teeth against the pain of impact.

"Nicolai, no!" Vlad reprimanded him. "Leave us."

The guard began to protest and Robin raised his head to see Vlad give Nicolai a meaningful look that Robin couldn't interpret. Nicolai must have understood, because after a split second pause Robin heard the faint rushing sound of displaced air as he flitted away. Strong hands helped Robin to his feet and he found himself face to face with Vlad. "Is it really you?" Vlad asked, his eyes searching Robin's own for the answer.

He nodded, momentarily struck speechless. He was even more surprised when Vlad hugged him tightly and murmured, "I can't believe it." He released Robin and looked at him again. "You look so..."

"Old?" he suggested with a forced laugh.

But Vlad didn't laugh. "Different."

"We aren't all immortal." Now Robin couldn't help letting his own sadness show. Vlad was always sixteen in his memory, the young vampire he said goodbye to. Seeing him now made Robin's own mortality more tangible, and more painful.

Vlad looked away briefly as though Robin's words made him uncomfortable, but he quickly recovered and said, "Would you like something to drink? We have water, and Damien might have some cola hidden in the kitchen."

"Damien?"

"My nephew. Ingrid's son."

Robin tried to imagine what a child of Ingrid's would be like. Pure evil spawn, no doubt. "So Ingrid and Will are back as well?"

"Back?" he asked. "They left?"

Judging from Vlad's reaction, Robin guessed that he really was out of touch with life in Stokely. He didn't even know where his own family had been since he went off to Transylvania. Family. Robin had almost forgotten… his would be missing him. "I can't stay. The wife and kids will be wondering what happened to me if I don't get home soon."

"You have children?"

"Twins."

Vlad clapped a hand on Robin's shoulder and said, "Then promise me you'll come back tomorrow night. You can tell me all about them."

"I'll be here at eight," Robin said with a grin. It seemed almost too good to be true. After so many years, Vlad had finally returned.

* * *

><p>Vlad said goodbye to Robin at the door and watched as he walked down the road leading away from the castle. The twinge of hunger in Vlad's stomach reminded him that he had just let what was supposed to have been his meal walk away. He made his way to the dining room to see what Renfield had cooked up for breakfast.<p>

"Was that Robin Branagh I heard you talking to?" Ingrid asked as soon as he sat down.

"I'm surprised you didn't decide to barge in and see for yourself."

Ingrid snorted. "I would have, except that ogre of yours wouldn't let me through the door," she said, shooting a glare at Nicolai, who had just arrived to check on Vlad's whereabouts.

"Who's Robin Branagh?" Damien asked.

Will quickly replied, "No one."

"Just a breather," Ingrid said.

"_My friend,"_ Vlad corrected them.

"Breakfast!" Renfield announced, bringing over the plates of black pudding. Vlad gave him a threatening look before picking up his fork and stabbing at the sausage with unnecessary hostility.

Ingrid smirked as she watched Vlad from across the table. "What makes you think he's still your friend after all these years?"

"Why wouldn't he be?"

She shrugged. "Things change."

"While we're on that subject, why did he ask me something about you two having left Stokely?"

"That's what he thinks," Will replied at the same time that Ingrid said, "We didn't."

"We hypnotized him to think the castle was abandoned," Ingrid explained. "We got tired of him coming here and asking questions about you."

"I wanted to kill him instead, but we all know how short-tempered you can be about that sort of thing," Will said casually.

Though his eyes narrowed at Will, Vlad refrained from saying anything more than, "Yes, I can be." Short-tempered was an understatement. Family or not, if they had hurt any of the Branaghs he would have had them slain.

Damien appeared thoroughly confused by the conversation. "You had a breather for a friend?" he asked Vlad.

"Don't start getting any ideas," Will warned him. "Interacting with breathers is forbidden until you're old enough to bite them."

"That's perfect," Damien grumbled. "I'll _never_ have any friends."

* * *

><p>At work the next day Robin couldn't get his mind off of his reunion with Vlad, and their plans to meet again that night. He wondered what Vlad's life had been like in Romania. Vlad probably had some amazing stories, and Robin couldn't wait to hear all about it. He was so distracted that he nearly forgot about an important company meeting in the afternoon. He walked in ten minutes late, stammering an apology, but even then he couldn't focus on anything but the way the second hand on the clock seemed to crawl at an agonizingly slow pace. As he glanced up at the clock for what must have been the twelfth time to see only a few minutes had gone by, he wished the work day would end already. Ever so slowly, the seconds ticked by until it was finally time to leave.<p>

When Robin got home that evening the dog raced to greet him at the door, jumping up and yipping excitedly. "At least you say 'hello' to me," he said to the dog. Ethel gave a high-pitched bark and wagged her tail happily.

Having heard the commotion at the front door, Bronwyn called, "I'm in here!"

Robin followed the sound to the kitchen, where he found her setting the table for dinner. "How was your day?" he asked, giving her a quick kiss.

"Busy as always. Mr. Wilson brought in Bernard again, and he's never a cooperative patient," she sighed. "So I spent the afternoon being sworn at by a surly old parrot."

Robin smiled to himself. He knew that even though she wouldn't admit it, Bronwyn liked having the chance to treat an animal not classified as livestock. She loved all animals, even the unfriendly ones. "And the girls?"

"Karen got the lead in the school play and Lucy had detention _again_. You should have a talk with her. Maybe she'll listen to you."

Lucy and Karen may have looked identical, but the similarities between them ended there. Karen was a pleasant girl who loved pop music and all of the latest fads, including the Vampire Moon book series. Lucy, on the other hand, had once been the same but recently developed an almost desperate need to be as different from her sister as possible. Lucy found new friends with some goths about her age, and now she preferred spending time with them even if it meant sneaking out of the house at night or breaking the rules to fit in with the group. Somehow it seemed like divine justice to Robin that he had a daughter just as rebellious as he was as a teenager, if not more so. At least Karen managed to stay out of trouble most of the time.

Hoping to postpone the task of lecturing a sullen teen, Robin cleared his throat and said, "You wouldn't believe who I ran into last night… Vlad Count."

"Vlad Count…" Bronwyn repeated, trying to remember the name. "Was he that friend of yours, the one who went to Bulgaria or someplace like that?"

"Romania, and yes, he is. He happens to be back in Stokely for a while."

"That's nice, darling. Will you be going out for drinks?"

Robin could imagine getting caught helping Vlad steal a sheep from one of his wife's clients. Accomplice to the son of the sheep snacker. That would be an awkward thing to explain – not to mention bad for her veterinary business. "I don't think so, but I did agree to meet him at the castle tonight."

"The castle? That's a strange place to meet, isn't it?" Bronwyn asked as she checked on the chicken and potatoes in the oven.

"Not really. He used to live there."

"Well, I hope you have a good time. And Robin?" she said, moving close and slipping her arms around his waist. "Could you do one little thing for me before you go?"

Looking into Bronwyn's warm hazel eyes never failed to make Robin her willing slave. "Anything for you," he replied with a smile.

"Quit stalling and go talk to Lucy."

* * *

><p>Robin tapped his knuckles against the closed bedroom door and called, "Lucy? Can I come in?"<p>

He interpreted the grunted reply as a 'yes', and entered the room. Lucy sat on her bed and didn't bother to say anything to acknowledge his presence. She held her pet milk snake, Serpentina – 'Tina' for short – allowing the snake to coil around her arm.

"Could you put the snake away? I want to talk to you."

Lucy rolled her eyes but got up and placed Tina back in her tank, dropping a few crickets inside before closing the lid.

"Your mother told me you had detention again today."

She shrugged. "So?"

Robin sighed and said, "Lucy, you're a smart girl, but you are constantly breaking the school rules." He didn't really want to know what she did to earn the detention, but he had to ask. "What was it this time? Disrespecting a teacher? Writing graffiti on the walls of the school toilets?"

Lucy hesitated for a moment, then said, "Smoking on school grounds." Seeing the look on Robin's face, she defensively added, "It was one cigarette! Jordan gave it to me. I just wanted to try it, you know I don't usually smoke!"

This wasn't the first time Lucy and Jordan had been partners in crime at Stokely Grammar School, so Robin was hardly surprised. "Lucy, I'm disappointed in you," he said, shaking his head. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to find new ways to get in trouble every week. Those friends of yours are a bad influence."

"You don't like them because they're goths, which isn't fair at all because you were a goth when you were my age."

She had to use the 'you were goth once' argument, Robin thought. This was why he hated these talks. He never knew how to respond without sounding like a hypocrite. "I just think you might be… happier with more normal friends."

"Right, maybe you want me to hang out with Karen and her _normal_ friends," Lucy scoffed. "Then we can all have sleepovers and braid each other's hair and stay up late talking about those stupid vampire romance books."

"I'm not saying that," Robin replied, trying to placate her. Lucy merely crossed her arms and looked away. Deciding to take a different approach, he said, "I wasn't the perfect teenager, no one is. I'll admit I did some weird stuff. It got to the point where your grandparents threatened to send me to happy camp. Now I don't want them to start getting any ideas about signing you up for something like that, so please, just promise me you'll try to stay out of trouble." As he waited for Lucy to reply, Robin hoped he had gotten though to her, because he was running out of ideas.

Lucy's brow creased as she took a moment to weigh her options. "Fine," she grumbled. "I'll try."


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Happy Halloween! By some joyous miracle I've got electricity again after the snowpocalypse, so at least I can upload this chapter today. And speaking of good news, who else is excited for new episodes of Young Dracula?

* * *

><p>Robin was perched gingerly on the sofa when Vlad entered the living room with the glass of ice water he had requested. Normally Renfield would have been the one to bring in their drinks, but Vlad had forbidden anyone else in the castle from disturbing them. Though Vlad assured him that he was safe in the castle, Robin's posture remained tense and his head turned at the slightest sound. "Here," Vlad said, holding the glass out to him. Robin took it, and his warm fingers brushed lightly against Vlad's. He was the first human in years that Vlad had touched without killing soon after. He quickly moved his hand away, hoping Robin wouldn't notice his haste.<p>

Vlad sat in an armchair opposite him, putting his own glass of water on the small coffee table between them. He didn't feel comfortable drinking blood in Robin's presence just yet. It felt strange for him to drink water after becoming so accustomed to the thicker texture of blood. It was even stranger for Nicolai and Dmitri, who watched him carrying the drinks from the kitchen. Dmitri's dismayed expression at seeing Vlad with the glasses of water left no doubt that he thought his master had lost his mind.

Both Robin and Vlad sat in awkward silence, unsure of what to say. Vlad knew that Robin must have been as curious about his life as he was about Robin's. "Well... how have you been?" Vlad asked.

"Fine, I guess. My job is murder but it keeps food on the table."

That was something Vlad had not expected to hear. "You're an assassin?"

Robin gave him a puzzled look and then laughed. "No Vlad, it's just a saying. I'm an accountant. The work's not bad, but if you do it long enough you may want to murder someone."

"You always said you were going to write graphic novels."

"I was fifteen when I said that. Then my priorities changed," he said, taking a leather wallet from his pocket. He extracted a number of worn photographs, putting them on the table and pushing them toward Vlad.

Vlad reached down and picked up the top photo, a family portrait. He recognized Robin, wearing a tie and smiling at the camera. Next to him stood a slender woman with raven hair and a kind face. Two young girls sat in front of them, wearing matching green dresses. "You have a beautiful family," he murmured, staring down at the photo.

"Thanks, but I'm afraid that one's not recent," Robin explained. "Lucy has been going through a bit of a goth phase lately. Her mother blames me for it, but she used to be quite the princess of darkness herself." He smiled as he continued, "You should have seen Bronwyn when I first met her. I remember it was my first week at the university..."

* * *

><p>Robin had given Vlad the less abbreviated account of his life story when he realized how much time he spent talking entirely about himself. He would have noticed earlier, but Vlad was the most attentive audience anyone could have. He listened as Robin regaled him with tales of his life since Vlad left Stokely, occasionally stopping him to ask a question. "And you never told your wife about vampires?" Vlad asked at one point.<p>

"Of course not. She'd think I was crazy."

"Wise choice."

"So what's brought you back to Stokely?" Robin asked, redirecting the conversation toward Vlad.

He shrugged. "I needed some time away from the politics in Transylvania."

Looking around the neglected room, Robin said, "I never thought you'd be living in this old castle again."

"Neither did I," Vlad said with a smile. "It was an eighteenth birthday gift from my father. He gave me the castle and Renfield along with it so there would be someone to take care of the place. Since I've had no use for it until recently, I allowed Ingrid to stay here with Will and Damien."

"Wow. For my eighteenth birthday my dad gave me a watch."

"You know what my dad is like, anything for the 'son and heir of Count Dracula'," Vlad said, imitating the Count's voice. "I think he gave me the castle out of spite for Ingrid, since he knew I didn't need it."

"You're living here now."

"For the time being."

Robin hoped that Vlad wasn't planning on going back to Romania too soon. "Do you know how long you'll stay?"

Vlad shrugged. "A few months, maybe."

"Aren't you needed in Transylvania? You are the Chosen One, after all."

Vlad picked up his glass but didn't drink from it as he said, "I think the Council will be able to carry on just fine without me for a while." Something in his voice made Robin doubt that Vlad believed what he was saying.

"Stop being modest. You're the most powerful vampire in history. I would bet that you have a huge castle with a harem full of beautiful female vampires, and everywhere you go you have your subjects worshipping at your feet," Robin joked.

"I hate to disappoint you, but I definitely don't have anyone worshipping me," Vlad replied. "Neither do I have, as you say, a harem, though there are a few rather attractive vampires who have been happy to meet my more… physical needs." He paused to take a sip of water before continuing, "I'm sorry to say the reality is that there's a lot of paperwork, and all the Council sessions can be quite dull. I wouldn't want to bore you with the details."

"Dull?" Robin scoffed. "If you want to hear something dull I can tell you about the financial seminar I had to sit through last week."

Just then a clock against the wall began to toll. Vlad looked over at it and said, "It's getting late. Why don't you come back sometime and we can discuss it then?"

"I'll hold you to that."

* * *

><p>It was a few days before Robin had another chance to visit Vlad. Over that period of time he didn't forget Vlad's agreement to tell him more about his life since leaving Stokely. This time as Vlad led Robin into the living room two glasses were already waiting for them, one with water and the other with a red liquid Robin knew had to be blood. Robin waited patiently as Vlad settled into his seat but once he was ready to talk Robin didn't waste any time. "Alright, start with what happened when you got to Transylvania and go from there. And don't spare any details," he instructed.<p>

"That was a long time ago, and I didn't do much the first week except wait to hear from the Council."

When Vlad didn't offer any more information, Robin frowned. He had hoped Vlad would have been more willing to talk after he had shared so much about himself the last time they met. "Then why don't I tell you what that week was like for me?" he asked. "I spent that week worrying about what the vampires in Transylvania were doing to you. I wondered whether they were going to execute you or not. After several months I assumed you were dead." Robin couldn't deny feeling a bit of resentment toward Vlad as he recalled the unpleasant memories of that year. He had fallen into a terrible depression after he gave up hope that his friend was still alive. "Why didn't you let me know you were the Grand High Vampire?"

"I wanted to write to you to let you know I was okay, but I was forbidden from having contact with breathers. Except for…"

"Except what?"

Before Robin could get an answer from him, Vlad's bodyguard entered the room. It was Nicolai, the vampire from his first visit to the castle. He went over to Vlad without looking at Robin and said something to him in a low voice. Robin could hear the words but they were foreign to him. He wondered what the guard was saying, since Vlad did not appear pleased by what he heard. Vlad replied with a single curt sentence. The guard appeared disappointed, but nodded and left.

"Romanian?" Robin asked, taking a guess.

"After twenty years of speaking almost nothing else, it becomes a habit."

That probably explained the slight accent. "I recognize your, er, associate," Robin said as Vlad picked up his glass and sampled the dark liquid. "You know, he was unusually eager to bring me up to the castle the night he found me. I wasn't sure if I had a choice in the matter."

"I'm sorry about that." Vlad glanced towards the door his bodyguard left through. Robin wondered if he was listening to them from the other side. Vlad paused as though contemplating his answer, then set his glass down before saying, "The truth is, I told Nicolai to find a breather for me, so he did."

"Find a breather for you? You mean—" A chill went through Robin as he realized what Vlad was saying – he was drinking human blood again. Maybe he never stopped.

"You can say it."

The contents of Vlad's partially emptied glass seemed to take on a sinister gleam in the candlelight as Robin wondered where it had come from. He could feel Vlad watching him closely. "You feed from humans?" Robin hesitated to ask what he truly feared. "...Kill them?"

Vlad looked at him calmly and said, "I leave them alive when I can, but I need the blood." Robin had never heard him sound so matter-of-fact about it before. The old Vlad had trouble even speaking about his vampiric habits.

"Human blood?" Robin asked, raising his voice as he stood up from the couch. "I don't believe this, Vlad. What the hell happened to you?" Robin felt anger beginning to flare within him. He had believed Vlad when he promised he wouldn't feed from humans. It had all been a lie.

At first Robin thought Vlad was ashamed as he turned away, but then without warning he sprang to his feet and flashed a fanged snarl at Robin, making him instinctively shrink back. Robin still bore the scars of the time Vlad tried to bite him, and for a moment when he saw Vlad's eyes go black he sincerely believed he was about to finish the job. But Vlad didn't strike. In a carefully controlled tone he said, "In case you've forgotten, I'm still a vampire." Robin could detect a note of bitterness in his voice.

Though he was probably testing the limits of Vlad's self-control, Robin replied, "I haven't forgotten. But you're not evil – or you weren't when I knew you." The words came out sounding more accusatory than he intended.

Vlad's eyes narrowed as he stared Robin down. "I didn't have a choice!" he hissed.

"I don't believe you."

"What do you want from me, Robin? Do you want me to tell you how I resisted it at first? How before my coronation I begged them not to make me kill for blood? That I nearly starved to death before I gave in and began feeding from humans again? You're right, no one held me down and forced the blood down my throat. I bit them and enjoyed every drop."

Vlad's confession left Robin speechless. A heavy silence fell as they stared at each other, neither one drawing a breath. After a moment Vlad sank back into his chair as though weary. "You have no idea what it's been like for me," he sighed as his eyes faded back to their natural blue.

"I don't," Robin admitted, also sitting again. He had never considered what a struggle it must have been for Vlad to resist the pressures and expectations placed on him as the Chosen One. In hopes of making peace, he added, "But if you want to talk about it…"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because... because if you knew the things I've done, I don't know if you could ever forgive me." Vlad got up again and walked to the window, where he stood with his back to Robin. "Even if you could, I don't deserve it." He paused, and then said softly, "I think you should leave."

Robin couldn't understand why Vlad was sending him away. He regretted the way he had confronted Vlad. They had argued in the past, but this time something was different, something that Vlad didn't want to talk about. Whatever it was, Robin could tell it was torturing him. "I'm sorry I judged you, Vlad," he said, going over to where Vlad stood by the window. Robin put a hand on Vlad's shoulder and he reluctantly turned to face him. "You know, whatever happened, I'll try to understand. Just tell me why you're acting this way. I think you owe me that much."

"Please Robin, just leave. You'll only get hurt if you stay."

"If you think that will change my mind, then you've forgotten just how stubborn I can be," Robin challenged, knowing that Vlad was bound to give in if he persisted long enough. "Tell me."

"Do you really want to know?"

"I do."

Vlad stared at Robin for what felt like the longest time, as though he was trying to see straight through him. Robin couldn't look away from his unblinking blue eyes. He was enthralled. Eventually Vlad replied, "Very well. But I warned you."

His eyes glowed yellow and Robin felt everything around him fade away from his consciousness, replaced by flashes of images and sounds. A woman in ragged clothes huddled in a dark corner, tears streaming down her face as his bloodstained hands reach for her. Terrified voices sobbing, begging for mercy in many languages. His – no, Vlad's – fangs piercing the flesh of a man's neck as hundreds of people cheer. Warm blood filling his mouth. The sharp pain of an arrow lodging itself between his ribs. A battlefield strewn with bodies. Shrieks filling Robin's ears as he thrusts a stake into a vampire's heart, the dust falling lightly on his skin. Finally Robin saw himself being held by the bodyguard, and was struck by an indescribable craving as a most delicious scent filled the air and he heard the faint but strong beating of his own heart.

The room of the castle returned and Robin saw through his own eyes again just as the yellow glow disappeared from Vlad's. Still reeling, he staggered back from Vlad. "Oh God," he gasped. Robin felt as though he was about to be sick. Vlad reached one pale hand out to steady him but he jerked away. Vlad was right... it was worse than he could have imagined. Robin didn't even know how Vlad was able to do what he just did, it felt so real.

Vlad drew back, giving him space. "I'm so sorry, Robin. I made a mistake letting you see... that," he said, averting his gaze.

Robin gaped at him wordlessly. Vlad had just given Robin a firsthand experience of all sorts of terrible, inhuman, _evil_ deeds, and that was all he could say? He had felt Vlad's yearning for his blood and anticipated the deep satisfaction that accompanied the other kills. He was nothing more than a meal to Vlad. Had it always been like this?

"You should go home to your family; forget you were ever here," Vlad said quietly, his voice heavy with regret.

But Robin had one last question. "Just tell me one thing, Vlad. One thing I need to know."

"What?"

"The truth – do you want to bite me? If I were just some innocent breather your minions captured, would you?"

A moment passed and Vlad bowed his head, unable to look at Robin as he replied, "Yes."

"Then you're not who I thought you were. I don't even know you." Robin had heard all he needed to. He quickly left without saying another word.

* * *

><p>Vlad bit his lip, desperately trying to remain silent as Robin walked out the door. He wanted to call Robin's name, tell him to come back so he could beg forgiveness. Vlad knew that seeing his memories must have been traumatizing for Robin. Of course Robin was appalled by what he saw; even Vlad felt disgust for his actions. He would not soon forget that look of revulsion on Robin's face, for in that moment his worst fears were realized – the one human he cared about was afraid of him.<p>

But what else did he expect? It was stupid of him to think he could associate with a breather. Robin had moved on with his life while Vlad was gone. He had a career and a family of his own. What did he think he would find when he returned to Stokely? Robin as he was as a teenager? Spending all his time drawing and reading comic books, waiting for his vampire friend to return?

They lived in different worlds now… the ones they were born into. He tried to tell himself that he had done the right thing. He had to send Robin away; it was for his own good.

"Your Grandness?" Dmitri asked softly, having appeared in the doorway. No doubt this was about the Council yet again.

Vlad didn't want to hear about it. "Leave me."

"But sir—"

"GO!" Thunder outside the castle nearly drowned out Vlad's roar. Dmitri cringed and flitted away.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I hope I'm not being presumptuous, but I'd like to take this opportunity to direct your attention to the forums available here on the fanfiction site. Up until recently they weren't doing anything except gathering virtual dust. Now that there's some activity on them, the forums would be a good way for those of us on this site to talk about the show. Anyone interested?

* * *

><p>Rain poured down in sheets as Jonathan opened the trapdoors leading to his dad's old slayer's headquarters. It had been years since his last visit, and the hinges were nearly rusted shut. Water dripped from his leather trench coat and hat, forming puddles in the dark cramped space at the bottom of the ladder. Brushing away some cobwebs, he typed a passcode into a keypad on the wall and spoke his name when prompted by the voice recognition software. A red light blinked on and he heard the click of a lock disengaging.<p>

Stepping inside, he flipped on the light and looked around. Jonathan had requested the Slayer's Guild to leave the HQ untouched after his father died. He couldn't stand the idea of the Guild sending a retrieval team to clear out the place. He brought all his dad's files and notebooks to the Guild's regional headquarters, then set out on his own.

Eric's death had been difficult for Jonathan. It happened during an ambush on a large nest of urban vampires in Paris. His father had offered to take him along on the hunt, but Jonathan declined. Even back then he preferred to work alone. Four slayers were lost that day, and among them was Eric Van Helsing. The survivors of the mission said he slayed five bloodsuckers before he was bitten. Nothing could be done. Jonathan blamed himself for his father's death ever since. If he had been there, he might have been able to save him.

The toughest part was breaking the news to Mina. Even though his parents split up for good many years ago, she still took the news rather hard. The official story was that Eric suffered a heart attack at a woodwork trade show and died on the way to the hospital.

Ever since his father's death Jonathan traveled the world, slaying vampires wherever he found them. Some called him reckless, but he had found his purpose. Jonathan had recently received a tip that none other than Vladimir Dracula, Chosen One and Grand High Vampire, was back in Stokely. There was no way he was going to pass up the chance to slay that undead bastard.

He had been staying in a cabin in Norway when the mysterious informant first contacted him. No one outside of the Slayers Guild had his mobile phone number, so he was surprised when he answered the phone to find a complete stranger on the other end of the line. The man offered no personal information, and while Jonathan detected a foreign accent, it was mixed enough that he had trouble guessing the man's origin. The man avoided answering any questions about his identity or how he found Jonathan. Every slayer's instinct he had told him not to trust the stranger, but he decided it couldn't hurt to listen to what the man had to say.

The man explained that he was aware of Jonathan's history with Vladimir Dracula, and that he wanted to see Vladimir dead just as much as Jonathan did. At first Jonathan was unsettled by the fact this stranger knew so much about him, but then man told him that he had classified information concerning the Grand High Vampire. He offered to share this information with Jonathan if he was willing to use it to slay Vlad. The only condition was that Jonathan had to follow the stranger's instructions exactly, and he couldn't tell the Slayers Guild what he was doing. The informant said he would expect an answer the following night.

Jonathan spent much of the next day trying to decide whether or not to accept help from the informant. It was a tempting offer. Most slayers would be willing to die for a chance to slay the Chosen One. Several actually had died trying, which made Jonathan wonder if the informant's plan could be a trap. He knew the dozens of vampires he had staked over the years made him one of vampire society's most wanted slayers, so a plot to lure him into a nest of vampires without any backup would not be unrealistic. To him the possibility of finally seeing Vlad turn to dust was worth the risk.

True to his word, the man contacted Jonathan again the next night. As soon as Jonathan agreed to the deal, the informant revealed that Vlad was in Stokely and living in the castle his family owned. He explained that he needed someone who knew the layout of the castle where Vlad was staying, who would be able to get in without being seen. He told Jonathan that Vlad had no more than two bodyguards with him for protection, and that he trusted Jonathan would find a way around them. Jonathan replied that it wouldn't be a problem, and guaranteed that by the end of the month the Grand High Vampire would be dust.

Now here he was again, hunting vampires in Stokely just like old times. His dad would be so proud.

As he looked around the HQ, he was glad he had kept everything from his dad. Blueprints of Stokely Castle littered the table in the center of the room, upon which also sat a detailed model of the castle. His dad constructed the model shortly after they moved to Stokely, back when Jonathan thought vampires were just a figment of his father's imagination. Now he knew just how valuable those blueprints could be.

Opening the door to the storeroom, Jonathan was pleased to find a vast array of slaying weapons lining the walls. Across the room stood a vampire dummy his dad made for target practice, complete with a cape and fangs dripping red painted 'blood'. Jonathan could remember how he spent hours down in the HQ with his dad, learning how to use slaying weapons. The wall behind the dummy was pockmarked with holes from all the times Jonathan had missed the dummy completely. He used to think he would never be good enough to be a slayer. The last time he went to the castle, neither he nor his father had never slayed a vampire, and their inexperience almost got them killed during the fight.

Jonathan took a crossbow down from the wall and drew back the string, locking it into place. Slipping an arrow-like bolt into the weapon, he pointed it at the dummy and pulled the trigger. The bowstring released, sending the bolt flying across the room and into the center of the target painted over the dummy's heart. This time he was ready.

* * *

><p>In the hours after Robin's departure Vlad remained by the window, staring out at the rain. The only sounds were the steady patter of raindrops falling to the ground punctuated by an occasional crack of thunder. The candles around the room burned down slowly, their wax dripping off the candelabras and splattering on the floor. Even when the fire in the grate died down to embers, Vlad stayed where he was.<p>

Eventually the rain subsided and the clouds cleared as the sky began to lighten to a deep blue. Although his rage had faded he continued to brood over his meeting with Robin. He could not stop replaying the events over and over in his head. He had thought of countless things he could have said differently, and each alternate scenario only added to his regret for the choices he made.

A pink glow appeared on the horizon, but Vlad did not move until he heard someone enter the room. Nicolai stood in the doorway and when Vlad turned to face him he bowed gracefully. "Please forgive my intrusion, Your Grandness." Vlad noticed years ago that Nicolai would use such deferential behavior whenever his master was feeling particularly murderous. This time Vlad guessed Dmitri must have warned him about the Grand High Vampire's bad mood. "It is nearly morning."

"I know," he replied as Nicolai's gaze shifted from him to the open window. He could sense that his bodyguard was beginning to worry. Perhaps Nicolai was afraid that he would try to throw himself into the sunlight, as he did once when he was younger. The thought of it brought a wistful smile to Vlad's lips.

As though able to hear what Vlad was thinking, Nicolai flitted to where he stood. "If you will permit me…" He reached out and closed the shutters before any rays of deadly sunlight could touch his master. After a moment of silence as they regarded each other, Nicolai said, "I couldn't help noticing that your breather friend left in a hurry."

"Did he?" Vlad asked mildly.

"We heard everything," Nicolai admitted. "It was difficult not to."

Sometimes Vlad hated the acuity of vampire hearing. Conversations were rarely private. "I was afraid of that."

"You did the right thing, Your Grandness. The Chosen One should not be associating with breathers."

For all his years of talking about improving vampire-breather relations, times like this made Vlad wonder why he even tried. Most breathers who knew his true identity wanted to slay him, and his only breather friend had run away in fear. Even Nicolai, his most trusted companion, failed to understand why Vlad would want to associate with what he viewed as walking bags of blood. The fact that Nicolai of all people agreed with his recent actions did nothing to reassure him of his decision.

He had spent years struggling to control his nature. Everything he had fought for, every instinct he had suppressed, everything he sacrificed, he did with the hope that one day vampires would be able to live side by side with breathers, as equals. But how could he expect centuries-old vampires to coexist with breathers when he could not? Perhaps it was time for him to let go of his naïve goals for peace, and accept his responsibility to his people as he should have done a long time ago. After all, who was he to defy fate?

* * *

><p>That morning Robin set about repainting the garden fence. It was the most normal activity he could think of for a sunny Saturday. Normal was good. It was safe, predictable. Working outside in the sun kept him from dwelling on the previous night. Bronwyn tended the vegetable garden while he painted.<p>

"Is something wrong, dear? You've barely said a word since you got home last night," Bronwyn said as she dug up a weed growing amongst the carrots.

"Everything's fine," he lied.

Sounds of a commotion echoed inside the house, making both of them look up. "What on earth is going on in there?" Bronwyn wondered aloud.

The back door banged open as Karen sprinted outside, with Lucy following on her heels and shouting, "Get back here you thief!" Ethel came bounding out behind them, yipping excitedly.

"Mum, make her stop!" Karen cried, running over to her mother and standing next to her for protection.

Quickly assessing the situation, Bronwyn ordered, "Lucy, leave your sister alone."

Lucy skidded to a stop a few feet away while the dog that continued running in circles on the grass. "But she stole my 'blood rose' shirt!" She pointed to the black fabric in Karen's hand.

"I was only borrowing it!" Karen retorted. "It's not as if you haven't got a bunch other goth clothes to wear!"

"Karen, why did you take that from Lucy?" Bronwyn asked.

Karen held up the shirt to show the single red rose printed on the front with drops of blood falling from the petals and the word 'forever' written underneath in elaborate script. "I'm going with Rachel to the see the new Vampire Moon film and everyone there is going to be dressed like this. It's a theme."

"I don't even know why you like that stupid book. There's no such thing as vampires!" Lucy lunged for the shirt but Karen pulled it away.

"All right, that's enough!" Bronwyn said. "Karen, give the shirt back to Lucy and find something else to wear. Lucy, you should know better than to terrorize your sister, so stop it."

The twins glared at each other for a moment before Karen grudgingly held the shirt out to Lucy, who snatched it back with a "Hmph!" and marched victoriously back into the house. Karen trudged back inside as well, leaving Ethel still running in circles. Ethel crashed into the paint can, knocking it over and spilling white paint everywhere. "Oh, Robin, the dog!" Bronwyn exclaimed. Robin reluctantly put down his brush to catch the paint covered dog while silently cursing normalcy.

* * *

><p>For all the times Vlad had listened to Robin say how one day he would leave Stokely and never come back, he thought it was curious that Robin only lived a few streets away from his old house. As Vlad made his way up the front walk he wondered how Robin would react to him turning up on his doorstep after their unceremonious parting the night before. He didn't expect a warm welcome.<p>

He would not have been there at all, except Robin had left the castle in such a hurry that he forgot to take his jacket with him. Vlad could have sent Renfield to return it, but he wanted an excuse to see Robin one more time, if only to say goodbye. Now, jacket in hand, Vlad stepped up to the front door and rang the bell. He waited, listening to the sound of approaching footsteps. A dark haired girl opened the door and asked, "Can I help you?"

"Is your father home? I'm his friend Vlad."

The girl nodded before shouting over her shoulder, "Dad! It's a friend of yours!"

Vlad winced as the shouting hurt his sensitive hearing. Robin must have been nearby, because he appeared quickly, his eyes widening for a moment when he saw Vlad. "Thanks, Karen, I'll take it from here," he said to the girl. Karen shrugged and disappeared into the house, leaving Vlad and Robin alone.

"Aren't you going to invite me in?" Vlad asked him.

The sounds of girls' voices drifted out from inside the house, making Robin hesitate. "I don't think that would be a good idea," he replied, stepping outside and shutting the door behind him. Vlad noticed his eyes darting around as though searching for something lurking in the shadows, as well as his faster than normal heartbeat. "Where are those bodyguards of yours?"

"I ordered them to stay at the castle. I can assure you, I am alone."

His answer seemed to ease Robin's fear a little, because his heart rate slowed a bit and he leveled his gaze at Vlad again. "Why are you here?"

Vlad held the jacket out to Robin. "You left this at the castle. I came to return it."

"Thanks," Robin said, taking it from him and then staring back at Vlad as though waiting for him to depart.

Something had definitely changed between them since the previous evening, and Vlad could hear the distrust permeating every word Robin spoke. He should have turned around and left without looking back, but he didn't want Robin to live out the rest of his life believing that he was nothing more than some mindless bloodsucking monster. If his friendship with Robin had to end, he wanted it to be on good terms. "I should apologize after what happened last night. I want you to know that I'm not a threat to you."

"Last night only proved that you are a threat. In fact, I think you always have been. I just refused see it."

"That's not true. You know I would never hurt you."

"Never? You remember this, don't you?" Robin asked, pulling his shirt collar down to reveal the two thin white lines etched into the pale skin of his neck.

Vlad forced his eyes away from Robin's neck. "Of course I do." As much as he tried, he had never been able to forget the taste of Robin's blood.

Letting his collar fall back into place, Robin said, "The Van Helsings tried to warn me about you, but I didn't listen and it nearly cost me my life. I can't risk my family's safety."

As Robin opened the door again and stepped back inside the house, Vlad said, "That was an accident. I can control it now."

"What difference does that make? You said it yourself… you're still a vampire, and you'll always be a vampire." He scrutinized Vlad for a moment before accusing, "You still want my blood, don't you? Or was that another lie?"

How was he supposed to reply? Robin had already made up his mind about Vlad, and clearly anything he said would only make matters worse. It wasn't fair, he thought bitterly. "Don't make me answer that."

Robin scoffed. "You just did. Goodbye, Vlad."

"Wait..." Vlad said, reaching out to stop Robin from closing the door, but an invisible force kept his hand from crossing the threshold.

Seeing that Vlad could not pass through the doorway, Robin paused long enough to say, "Don't come back. Stay away from me and my family."

The door swung shut with a heavy thud, leaving Vlad alone on the front step. Before taking flight to return to the castle, he muttered, "Goodbye, Robin."


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Thanks everyone for all the reviews! I really appreciate them. After a somewhat exposition-heavy chapter last time, this one should move along a bit faster. I swore I would get this done yesterday, but that was before I knew I'd be helping host a party last night. This chapter gave me a ton of trouble for some reason, and now it's another late night update but I've finally got the chapter the way I wanted it. I hope you like it.

* * *

><p>Upon returning to the castle from Robin's house, Vlad immediately settled back into his nightly routine. He did not speak of what happened between himself and the breather, and neither did anyone else. In fact, over the next few nights Vlad demonstrated an uncanny ability to act as if Robin had never existed.<p>

One night Vlad was relaxing on the Count's old throne with a glass of blood and reading a copy of the Vampire Times when Nicolai entered the great hall. "We've received news from Transylvania," Nicolai announced without preamble.

Lowering the newspaper, Vlad looked up at Nicolai. "I hope you made sure your correspondence wasn't being tracked."

"The system is untraceable." The system Nicolai referred to involved a number of disposable mobile phones used to send messages through a network of trusted vampires located across six continents.

Vlad still had his doubts about just how untraceable Nicolai's communication system actually was, but at the moment he was more interested in what had been happening in Transylvania during his absence. "Well what's the report? Has the Council been busy celebrating now that I'm not around?"

"Quite the opposite. The Council discovered that you are not in Estonia as they were made to believe and they have been in an uproar over your disappearance. They want to know where you are."

If the members of the Council were in an uproar, they were keeping it contained to the Council chamber. Not a single newspaper Vlad read even hinted at anything being amiss with either the Council or the Grand High Vampire.

"There are wild rumors circulating among the councilors, some claiming that you've been slain or that you've deserted your post," Nicolai added. "Some members of the Council are even demanding your replacement."

Vlad was afraid this would happen. Keeping the Council content was difficult in the best of times. He drained the last of the blood from his glass and got up from the throne. "I should go back. I'm the only one who can restore order."

"With all due respect, we still have not found the assassin, and you're no good to anyone if you're dust."

"So protect me. That is your job, _isn't it_?" Vlad replied irritably.

Nicolai was unfazed by Vlad's harsh retort, and maintained his calm persistence. "It is, which is why I advise that you stay here, if only for a little while longer. Give the intelligence division time to complete their investigation of the assassination attempt."

Vlad scowled and considered ordering Nicolai to make the travel arrangements for returning to Transylvania immediately. Instead he replied, "You have one week. After that I'm going back to Transylvania with or without you, and don't even think about trying to stop me."

* * *

><p>The following evening Vlad awoke from a dreamless sleep as he did every night. Lying in the darkness of his borrowed coffin Vlad wished he could fall back into the welcoming oblivion, but he could never sleep after sunset. Releasing the lock on the coffin latch, he pushed the lid open and sat up in one fluid movement. As Vlad rose from the coffin he heard the sharp '<em>thwack' <em>of a crossbow firing and the whistle of a bolt flying through the air_. _He recognized the sound instantly, having heard it countless times on the battlefield. His hand reflexively flew up and caught the projectile before it could hit him in the chest.

He glanced down to confirm the object in his hand had indeed come from a stake-firing crossbow. From the moment he touched it he felt the burn of garlic making his skin blister. The stake must have been treated with garlic juice. He set fire to the stake as he threw it away.

Vlad's senses were on edge, primed for an attack. His eyes darted around the darkened room to search out any further threats, but all he could see was a crossbow mounted on the opposite wall and aimed directly at his heart. It was a newer compound model like the ones slayers used, not the antiques preferred by vampires. Though it was faint, Vlad could detect the lingering smell of breather mixed with the acrid stench of smoke from the burning stake. A human had been in his crypt. "Slayer," he murmured in disgust.

He opened the lock on the crypt door with a click of his fingers, and found Nicolai and Dmitri waiting outside. The guards had taken to sleeping on the floor just outside of his crypt for the time they were in Stokely. Any human approaching the chamber would have woken them. "Good evening, Your Grandness," they chorused. They showed no sign of knowing that their master had nearly been reduced to a pile of dust only moments before.

"We have a problem."

* * *

><p>"I thought I left Transylvania to get away from this sort of thing," Vlad growled as Nicolai and Dmitri inspected the crypt. The most recent attempt on his unlife did not scare him, but he was angered by the thought of someone breaking into his private quarters to set a trap for him.<p>

"This does not appear to be the work of the Brotherhood. That crossbow is a slayer's weapon," Dmitri said. Looking at Vlad, he asked, "You didn't hear anything?"

Vlad shook his head. "You know me," he said dryly, "I sleep like the dead."

Nicolai ran one finger along a thin wire leading back to the crossbow from the coffin lid. "It was triggered by a tripwire attached to your coffin. Whoever placed it was probably long gone by the time you woke," he explained.

"Why would a slayer try to slay me when no one knows I'm even here? And how would they know to use the secret passageway to get into the crypts from the ruins? Very few people even know that entrance exists."

"What about the breather – Robin Branagh?" Dmitri asked. "Does he know how about this secret passageway?"

Vlad's eyes narrowed at Dmitri as he guessed what his bodyguard was thinking. "He does."

"In that case, you must consider the possibility that he–"

Vlad raised a hand to cut Dmitri off and leveled his hardest stare at him. "Dmitri. Consider the possible consequences of what you are about to say. Do not forget who you are speaking to."

"My apologies Your Grandness, please forgive me, but who else could have done this?" he groveled. Vlad hated groveling, but there was something to the question that resonated within him. Was it possible? Could Robin try to slay him? He didn't know.

"Robin Branagh has a history of collaborating with slayers," Nicolai said softly. "I know you feel affection for him, Grandness, but do not let those feelings cloud your judgment."

His so-called affection for Robin was the last thing on Vlad's mind at that moment. Vlad stood still, not moving, not even breathing as he tried to maintain control over the feelings of anger and betrayal that threatened to short-circuit his normally flawless restraint. He couldn't prove that Robin was behind the attack, but he had no other explanation. When he finally spoke, it was through clenched teeth as he said, "I want every passageway leading out of the castle from the crypts sealed off by the time I return."

"Where are you going?"

"Hunting." Vlad transformed into a bat on the spot and flew away before either bodyguard could follow.

* * *

><p>Vlad returned from his successful hunt to find Ingrid, Will, and Damien passing the time at the end of the great hall Vlad had not commandeered for his use. Ingrid was shopping for the latest addition to her wardrobe, Will sat on the leather sofa watching television, and Damien was playing a game of fetch with Zoltan. Needless to say, Vlad's announcement that someone had almost slayed him caught Ingrid's attention immediately. "Someone's trying to slay you? Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Ingrid asked, looking up from her 'Emporium of Evil' catalogue.<p>

"Because knowing you, you'd probably offer to help whoever's trying to do me in," Vlad replied. He still had not told them the details of his other close call back in Transylvania.

"We'd never dream of helping slay another vampire, even if he were a useless breather-lover," Will said, keeping his eyes trained on the television screen. Vlad wasn't sure if Will was being sarcastic or not. Will scoffed at the TV set and pointed to the picture. "Now why can't our Damien be more like this one?"

Vlad glanced at the television in time to see a little boy on a tricycle knock a woman over a balcony railing, sending her falling onto the floor below. It was a scene from _The Omen_; he knew because Robin used to love watching it almost as much as vampire movies.

Will snapped his fingers in Damien's direction to get his attention then beckoned him closer. "Come here and watch this. Maybe you'll learn something useful."

Ingrid sighed as Damien rolled his eyes but obediently went over to look at the TV. "Really, Will. Do you honestly think Damien can learn to be evil by watching TV? He needs a role model; a real vampire who can teach him to be evil."

"I am teaching him. It's not my fault if something is wrong with the boy."

"You know I can hear you, right?" Damien asked.

Appearing next to Damien, Vlad clapped a hand on his nephew's shoulder and said, "If young Damien needs someone to instruct him I'd be happy to take him under my wing while I'm here."

Ingrid and Will both gave Vlad incredulous looks. "You?" Ingrid asked.

Will sneered at him. "He needs someone to teach him to be a vampire not a wimpire."

The temperature in the room suddenly dropped as Vlad's expression hardened. "_What_ did you just say?" he growled.

"You heard me," Will said, getting up from his seat to confront Vlad. "_Wimpire_."

Dmitri and Nicolai readied to intervene, but one look from Vlad told them to stay out of it. Vlad flew at Will so quickly that he barely had time to react. Their fight was a whirlwind of commotion, and was over in seconds. Ingrid rose from her seat to shout at them to stop, but Vlad had already won. Will was sprawled flat on his back on the flagstone floor while Vlad stood over him pressing one boot-clad foot against his throat. During the fight he had taken a side sword from a display on the wall, and held the point of the weapon over Will's heart. "You should know better than to challenge me," Vlad hissed.

With the weight of Vlad's foot on his windpipe, Will could only make a strangled sound in response. "Get off of him," Ingrid demanded.

Vlad obliged, removing his foot from Will's throat as he looked down at his defeated opponent. He hesitated for one brief moment as though about to lower his weapon, but then drove the sword through Will's chest, making Damien gasp in horror. Everyone in the room could hear the blade slicing through flesh and striking the floor beneath Will. The echoing clang of metal against stone faded into absolute silence.

"Do you still feel like calling the Grand High Vampire a 'wimpire'?" Vlad asked.

"No," Will choked out.

"That's good, because if it happens again it will be a stake I put through your heart," he snarled. Will grimaced as Vlad gave the sword one last twist before releasing his hold. Vlad looked to where Damien stood watching in disbelief and said, "Lesson number one – respect your king." Leaving the impaled vampire clutching helplessly at the blade, Vlad turned on his heel and stalked out of the room.

* * *

><p>Soon after the fight Damien retreated to his room with Zoltan.<p>

Zoltan rummaged through his basket for the cow leg bone Renfield brought home for him from the butcher. Upon finding it he happily began chewing on one end. He eventually noticed Damien sitting on his bed with his knees pulled up to his chest and staring into space. The young vampire was clearly troubled. "Is something wrong, Master Damien?"

"My dad got into a fight with Uncle Vladimir and he stabbed my dad with a sword."

"Did he really?" Zoltan asked, failing to stifle the amusement in his voice but quickly growing serious again under Damien's reproachful gaze. "Don't worry; your father will be fine. He's probably better already."

"I know, but Uncle Vlad was supposed to be a nice vampire." Damien sighed, "Now it turns out he's worse than my parents."

"You cannot blame him for being evil, Master Damien. Master Vlad is a vampire after all."

Damien swung his legs around so he was sitting on the edge of the bed facing Zoltan. "But everyone said he was different; that he wasn't evil."

"When he was younger, perhaps, but it's in his nature as it is in yours."

Damien crossed his arms and glared at the wolf. "You're wrong. I'm not evil."

Zoltan didn't reply but chuckled as he went back to gnawing on the bone.

"What? What's so funny?" Damien demanded.

"Oh nothing. It's just that's what Master Vlad used to say when he was your age."


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: This chapter is slightly shorter than average, but it's one of those times a scene works best as a stand-alone. Just as a warning, this is the darkest chapter of the story, and it may get kind of intense. There will most definitely be blood.

* * *

><p>The following night Damien sat at the dining room table studying one of the history books his parents had given him. If he stayed out of the way and did not make a lot of noise maybe he would be able to avoid his uncle Vladimir. Damien hoped that if he avoided his uncle long enough Vlad would forget about trying to teach him to act like a vampire. He was just starting a chapter on the Ottoman Empire when he heard voices coming from the kitchen.<p>

"…because needles and plastic tubing weren't high on the list of things to bring with us," Nicolai was saying. There was a pause and the sound of a chair being moved. "Perhaps we should cover the floor before getting started."

"Why don't we do it in the dungeon?" Dmitri asked. "Cut the wrists, hang him upside down and let it all drain out. It's the best way." Overhearing this, Damien got up from the table and crept towards the door to the kitchen to see what was going on.

"Because we want to keep him alive." Nicolai sounded as though he had explained it a dozen times before but really didn't care one way or the other about the breather's wellbeing. "Give me the knife."

"If you ask me, it's more trouble than they're worth keeping them alive."

"Don't let the Grand High Vampire hear you talking like that."

Damien peeked around the door frame and saw Dmitri and Nicolai standing over a dark haired man who sat on one of the wooden kitchen chairs. His hands and feet were tightly bound and a piece of cloth was tied across his mouth. The restraints seemed unnecessary as he sat silently and without struggling. He must have been hypnotized. A plastic basin sat on the floor next to him. Nicolai used a long serrated knife to cut the ties around their captive's hands.

Nicolai held the knife loosely at his side while Dmitri unbuttoned the man's shirtsleeves and rolled them up to his elbows. When he was finished Nicolai took one of the man's hands and held it palm up so the flesh of his wrist was exposed. Damien wanted to run in and tell them to let the breather go, but he knew better than to interfere with Vlad's bodyguards. Unable to stop it, Damien watched, transfixed as Nicolai raised the knife and placed the point of the blade against the inside of the man's arm. Nicolai was just about to make the cut when a threatening voice asked from the opposite doorway, "What do you think you're doing?" It was Vlad. Believing he had been caught, Damien looked to Vlad, but he was glaring at Dmitri and Nicolai instead. No one had seen him lurking.

Lowering the knife, Nicolai replied, "Blood supplies in the castle are running low, sir. We are replenishing them."

"And you thought draining a few of the locals would be a good idea, did you?" he asked as he crossed the room. Damien smiled to himself; his uncle wouldn't let them slaughter a hapless breather like common livestock. They had to listen to him.

"Of course not, Your Grandness," Dmitri said. "We thought harvesting the blood of peasants from the neighboring villages would raise fewer suspicions."

Vladimir grasped the hypnotized man's chin, tilting his head up to look into his glazed eyes. Appearing satisfied with what he saw, Vlad stepped back. Damien's hopes vanished as his uncle said, "Very well then, carry on." Vlad began to leave, then paused and turned towards the dining room. Damien quickly ducked back into the dining room, pressing himself against the wall and hoping Vlad had not seen him. He heard his uncle say to his bodyguards, "I think this a good time for my nephew to learn a valuable skill, don't you agree?"

"Yes, Your Grandness," they replied in unison.

Tiptoeing back to the table, Damien sat down and tried to look casual. He heard Vlad walk in and stared at the page in front of him as though oblivious to the happenings in the next room. "Damien."

Damien turned to look at him. "Oh, hi Uncle Vlad."

"Come with me. I have something to show you," Vlad said with a smile that told Damien he wasn't going to like what it was.

Trying not to let his anxiety show, Damien obediently got up and allowed his uncle to guide him into the kitchen. He gulped nervously as they approached the bodyguards and the man in the chair. The breather's hypnotized stare unnerved him. Vlad took the knife from Nicolai and gestured to the man. "What do you see?"

Damien wasn't sure why Vlad was asking, so he replied, "I see a man – a breather."

"What else?"

What else was he expected to see? Damien shrugged.

"This is life. Life is what separates breathers from vampires. It's why we drink their blood. We take that life and make it our own." Vlad placed the tip of the knife against the man's throat just below his jaw. "Right there. Can you see it? The way the blood pulses beneath the skin? Of course, if you bite them here there's really no choice but to turn them or let them die," he said with a grim smile. "Bite them almost anywhere else and they will probably survive."

"Good to know," Damien said, hoping the lesson was over. He tried to slip away from the arm Vlad had around his shoulders, but Vlad didn't let him go.

"Tell me, Damien, have your parents ever taken you hunting with them? For breathers, not livestock."

"No. They don't have to hunt very often; Renfield always has bottled blood for them if they want it."

"What a shame," Vlad tutted. "How will you ever learn?" Damien felt a growing dread at the way Nicolai and Dmitri smirked at him. "Hold him," Vlad said to his bodyguards as he gestured at the breather.

Dmitri stood behind the man and held him firmly against the back of the chair. Vlad clicked his fingers to bring the man out of his trance. It took a second for the man to realize where he was. He tried to speak, but his words were muffled by the gag. His eyes grew wide, and the muffled sounds became louder and higher pitched with urgency as he began to fight to get free. He couldn't do much more than squirm with his feet tied together and Dmitri immobilizing his shoulders. Annoyed by the man's screaming, Vlad allowed his full vampire features to manifest as he shouted, "Quiet!"

The man let out one extra-loud shriek of terror but only stopped screaming because now he was putting all of his energy into trying to break free, but Dmitri easily held him down. His fearful eyes darted between the knife in Nicolai's hand and Damien and Vlad. Damien looked up at Vlad who was watching emotionlessly as the man struggled. "Let him go Uncle Vladimir, _please_."

Vlad shook his head. "This is something you're going to have to get used to sooner or later."

"But I don't like drinking blood, and even if I did I wouldn't bite people."

"You need to understand that the longer you try to deny the realities of our world the worse it will be for you in the end, Damien. Believe me, I'm doing you a favor."

Vlad nodded once to Nicolai, who grasped the man's arm and forced it to straighten as he had before, only this time the man was aware of what was happening to him and he shrieked again as he tried to pull away.

"Now, when biting a breather you may decide to drink from a vein or an artery," Vlad explained. "The artery is faster but it can make a mess if you're not careful. Young vampires often tear into whatever blood vessel they can find, but with practice you will develop the skill to identify the different blood vessels and execute a precise bite. Nicolai, if you would demonstrate."

Dmitri continued to restrain the man as Nicolai got down on one knee beside his victim. Holding the man's arm in both hands to keep it still, he paused to cast a glance up at Vlad, who nodded in approval.

Nicolai lowered his mouth to the man's arm, baring his fangs just before the bite. The man let out a yelp of pain as the vampire's fangs broke the skin, but Vlad did not appear to care. "You'll notice how Nicolai does not need to drive his fangs all the way in. He stops once he pierces the vein," Vlad said calmly. The man was crying for help through the gag while Nicolai sucked the blood from his arm. It was the first time Damien had ever seen a breather get bitten.

Time seemed to drag on as Damien watched Nicolai feed, waiting for him to let go of the man's arm. Eventually Vlad said, "That's enough."

Nicolai stopped drinking and backed away. Blood trickled from the two punctures on the man's arm as it hung limply at his side. He was breathing heavily from the exertion of fighting back. Vlad gave the knife back to Nicolai. "Harvest the rest of it." When Nicolai approached the man again with the knife, the breather shrank back and pulled his arms in close to his chest for protection as he shook his head, refusing to submit. Nicolai swiftly caught the man's wrist, wrenching his unbitten arm away from his body. There was a flash of silver as the vampire made one lightning-fast stroke, and a stream of blood began to flow into the basin on the floor.

The man's struggling had been reduced to nothing more than pleading whimpers as he stared at Damien with terrified brown eyes as though begging him to intervene. Afraid that he would be forced to watch the man die, Damien looked up at his uncle again only to see his eyes had turned black as he watched the blood steadily filling the bowl. He was enjoying it. "Please, stop this!" Damien cried out in horror. "You're killing him!"

Vlad blinked, banishing the darkness from his irises. "You want me to make it stop?" Vlad asked, looking down at Damien with what seemed to be genuine concern.

"Yes!"

"As you wish." Vlad nodded to his bodyguards and they immediately released the man.

Before Damien could breathe a sigh of relief Vlad let go of him and stepped forward to seize the human, positioning himself behind the man so Damien could see what he did next. Without hesitation he buried his fangs in the man's neck and sealed his mouth over the resultant wounds. The man went rigid upon being bitten, then fought back weakly until he eventually stopped moving altogether. It was all over in less than a minute. Vlad sighed with satisfaction and released his hold on the man so the corpse slumped over in the chair. He straightened up and his gaze met Damien's as he wiped the last traces of blood from his mouth with his hand.

Tears glistened in Damien's eyes as he demanded, "Why did you do that? How could you?"

"You asked me to make it stop, and I did," Vlad said coldly. He watched as Dmitri carried the dead man out of the room. "You shouldn't be so upset; you'll do the same someday."

"I won't, because I'll never be a vampire! Never!" Damien cried, turning and running from the kitchen.

"Let me know how that turns out for you," Vlad called after him as he ran.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Happy 2012! Not much to say about this chapter. It's kind of long, but I hope that's okay.

* * *

><p>Damien spent the rest of the night crying into his pillow, not caring that his uncle could probably hear his sobs. Zoltan tried to console him, but there was nothing he could say to ease the boy's misery. Eventually Damien fell into a restless sleep haunted by the gruesome death of the breather.<p>

As he slept he found himself back in the kitchen with the breather and vampires, only this time Vlad was ordering Damien to bite the breather. In the dream he tried to run away, but his feet felt like lead, and he turned to face the breather against his will. Vlad's booming voice echoed all around telling him to bite, and Damien could not disobey the command. His felt his teeth grow into sharp fangs as he opened his mouth and leaned in close to the man's neck…

For the third time that day Damien awoke in a cold sweat. It was always the same; every time he fell asleep he had the same dream, and each time he woke up just as he was about to bite the same nameless breather he had watched his uncle kill. The worst part of the dream was having no control over his actions; as hard as he tried to run away he could never escape.

Even though sunset was still hours away he didn't want to fall asleep and risk having the dream again. Damien stood up and went over to the bureau. As he opened one of the drawers he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He normally didn't pay any special attention to his reflection, but this time Damien straightened up to gaze into the mirror, staring deep into his reflection's blue-grey eyes. Whenever he looked into a mirror he saw an average thirteen year old boy, not a vampire born into one of the most infamous clans in history. Of course if he were a mature vampire he would not see anything in the mirror at all.

Damien reached a hand out and tentatively pressed his fingertips against the cool glass, watching at his reflection's hand met his own. It was difficult to believe that on his sixteenth birthday he would stand before the blood mirror and merge with his vampire reflection. Was the reflection in the blood mirror the same one he saw now? Because the image before him didn't look evil; it just looked like him. But everyone – his parents, his grandfather, his uncle, even Zoltan – insisted that he was destined to be evil simply because he was born a vampire. If there was one thing vampires believed in it was destiny.

While he stood before the mirror he suddenly got an idea. What if he didn't go to the blood mirror room on his sixteenth birthday? What if he ran away? Was it possible to run so far that his evil reflection could never find him? Probably not, but at this point he'd be happy just to escape from his uncle. Damien didn't want to see another breather die, and he was terrified that next time the blood would be on his hands.

It was decided. There was nowhere for him to go but that didn't matter, Damien thought as he dragged a worn suitcase out from underneath his bed and threw it on top.

The sound of Damien packing his things woke Zoltan, who yawned loudly from his corner of the room. "Why are you awake?" Zoltan asked him. "It's the middle of the day. Go back to sleep."

"Can't," Damien replied as he threw an armful of clothes into the suitcase.

"What are you doing, Master Damien?"

"I'm leaving; what does it look like?" he said, taking some of the snacks he had hidden in the back of a bureau drawer and adding them to the pile of clothes. "I can't stay here while my family tries to turn me into an evil bloodsucking vampire." Damien slammed the lid shut and hauled the suitcase off his bed. "Promise you won't say anything to my parents."

"All right, but I don't think it will make any difference. You're forgetting that vampires are excellent trackers."

As Damien reached for the doorknob he replied over his shoulder, "And you're forgetting it's daytime. They can't follow me outside."

He crept down the stairs as quietly as possible with his burden. When he reached the castle door he pushed it open carefully, hoping it wouldn't creak and alert the others. It opened without making a sound and the afternoon sunlight streamed in, nearly blinding him. Damien quickly turned away as he shielded his eyes from the light. He had only been out of the castle on cloudy days to accompany Renfield on his errands, or at night with his parents. His mother and father always said that fresh air and sunlight were unhealthy for a growing vampire. They also wanted him to sleep during the day like a vampire should. Well he'd had enough. The normal world was waiting for him out there, and he was never coming back.

Summoning his courage, Damien picked up his suitcase and marched out of the castle's shadows and into the light beyond.

* * *

><p>"If you did your job right there would be a new Grand High Vampire on the throne right now. Why isn't he dust?" the anonymous informant's voice growled through the phone Jonathan held in his hand. News of Vlad's death would spread quickly – if it had actually happened. But two nights had passed since he snuck into the castle and left behind his best stake-firing crossbow, and there wasn't any word of a tragedy befalling the Chosen One.<p>

Jonathan had been afraid of this. It was one of the reasons why he preferred a direct attack where he could watch his quarry disintegrate in front of him. There was too much uncertainty in sneaking around and laying traps. "It's not that easy, all right?"

"You said it would not be a problem."

"Look, I told you I would slay him, and I will." Jonathan snapped the phone shut and shoved it back into his pocket.

Obviously a simple trap wasn't enough to dust Vlad. He would not have chosen that method if not for the informant insisting that he carry out his work in secret. The informant said it himself that Vlad was always accompanied by highly trained bodyguards, and there was no way of staking him while he slept in a locked coffin. But doing things the informant's way didn't work. Enough of stealth, he'd get a team and attack the castle with everything they had.

Pulling the phone out of his pocket again, he started dialing and then paused. Maybe there was a reason the informant didn't want him notifying the Guild. All previous Guild-backed attempts to slay the Grand High Vampire had failed miserably. The vampires always seemed to be one step ahead of the Guild, almost as if they knew exactly what the slayers were planning. After a moment's thought he erased the digits and typed in a different number before hitting 'send'. A woman's voice answered on the second ring. "Slayers Guild counterintelligence division."

"This is Jonathan Van Helsing, identification number 744039. I need everything you've got on a known human collaborator."

"Certainly, Mr. Van Helsing. May I have the name of the person you're looking for?"

"Robin Branagh."

* * *

><p>On the train ride home from work Robin dropped into a seat next to the window and breathed a sigh of relief as he loosened his tie. His mind wandered as he watched the scenery pass by outside, inexplicably drawn to the subject which had occupied his thoughts for the better part of the past few weeks – Vlad. Despite telling himself that he wanted nothing more to do with Vlad, he still wondered what was going on up at the castle. Perhaps Vlad already went back to Transylvania. Robin was so lost in thought that at first he didn't pay any attention to the man who sat down in the empty seat across from him.<p>

After a moment, the man said, "Well look who it is… Robin Branagh."

Robin turned his gaze towards man to find none other than Jonathan Van Helsing looking back at him with an arrogant smirk. It took a moment for Robin to recover from the surprise of seeing the slayer again, on the train of all places, to ask, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm on my way to Stokely, same as you."

"Why? You don't live there anymore." The Van Helsings left Stokely shortly after Vlad went off to Romania. Robin didn't know where the Van Helsings went, and he didn't care.

"I have some business to take care of."

"The same as your dad?"

"The same. In fact, it concerns your old friend Vlad," he said with a smug gleam in his eye.

"You mean you're going to—" Robin began, but remembering their surroundings, he stopped short of mentioning slaying. Casting a glance at the other passengers sitting nearby, he lowered his voice and said, "You were no match for him when he was a teenager. He is far more powerful now than he was then."

"So you're aware that he's returned."

"I am," Robin grimly replied.

Jonathan chuckled. "Something tells me the two of you have had a bit of a falling-out."

"I don't see how that is any of your business," he retorted.

Luckily for Robin, the train arrived at their stop before Jonathan could say anything else. He got off the train and quickly made his way out of the station, but Jonathan persistently trailed after him, catching up with Robin as he walked down the street. "What did he do this time? Bite your sister?"

"Leave me alone."

Falling into step beside Robin, Jonathan said, "Hey, I was just trying to be friendly. You don't want to talk about it, that's fine."

At this Robin stopped walking and turned to face him. "Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"I'm not stupid. You're trying to find out whether I'm still close to Vlad. What is it you want? To use me to get to him?"

Dropping his cheerful act, Jonathan's voice hardened as he said, "He has to die."

"Forget it. You're on your own."

Robin turned to leave, but Jonathan swiftly stepped in front of him, blocking his path. "So you would protect that monster?" he scoffed. "The stories I could tell you would make your skin crawl, and they're all true."

"Look Vlad and I w– _are_ friends." Robin caught himself before he said 'were friends', but the slight upward twitch at the corner of Jonathan's mouth told him the slip had not gone unnoticed. "I don't care what you say about him, I would never betray him like that."

"Suit yourself," Jonathan said with a shrug. "It's too bad; you could have made a great slayer." Robin was about to disagree, but decided he was better off not saying anything at all. In the meantime Jonathan produced a business card from inside his coat along with a pen. "If you change your mind, you can find me here," he said as he scribbled an address on the back and held it out to Robin.

Even though he would prefer not to see Jonathan again, he reluctantly took the card, if only to get the slayer to go away. Robin wordlessly shoved the card in his pocket without reading it and stared back at him. After a moment Jonathan stepped aside to let him pass and Robin walked away without looking back.

* * *

><p>Running away seemed like a good idea back at the castle, but without enough money for so much as a bus ticket Damien soon realized that it wouldn't be easy. After walking for a while he came across a quiet park dotted with trees and wooden benches, and decided to stop and rest. He was tired from lack of sleep and carrying the heavy suitcase. The sun was sinking lower in the sky as he sat on a bench and ate one of the chocolate bars he brought with him. The long shadows on the ground reminded Damien that it would be dark soon, and the other vampires would be waking up at any time. He wondered how long would it take for anyone to notice he was gone.<p>

Stars were beginning to appear in the sky when he heard footsteps on the path and looked up to see a girl walking by herself. Her black clothes and pale skin made him wonder if she was also a vampire. She certainly looked like one of the undead, except she lacked the effortless grace that vampires seemed to radiate with every move. No, she was definitely a breather. She noticed Damien watching her and when she got closer she stopped and said, "Hey, that's my seat. I always sit there."

He blushed a deep red and replied, "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"I was only joking," the girl said, sitting down on the other end of the bench. She looked Damien up and down appraisingly, her eyes pausing on the suitcase by his feet. "So what are you running from?"

"Excuse me?"

"You're out here by yourself at nightfall, with a suitcase. Either you've just arrived in Stokely – the most boring place on the planet – and got lost, or you're running away from something."

The breather girl's perceptiveness took him by surprise. "I'm running away," he admitted.

She grinned. "Knew it. So come on, tell me your story."

"I don't have a story," he replied, shifting awkwardly. There was no easy way to explain that he was running away from his vampire family in hope of leading a normal life.

But the girl was not dissuaded by his answer. "Of course you do. Something had to make you pack your stuff and go."

He shrugged. "I just needed to get away from my family. I don't fit in at home."

"I know what that's like."

"You do?"

"Sure I do. Believe me, if you met my family you'd know what I mean."

Damien had never met a real breather family before, but he had seen them when Renfield took him shopping. They didn't look anything like the girl sitting next to him, who looked more like a vampire than a breather, so maybe she did know how it felt to be the one who didn't fit in. "They wanted me to be like them, but I couldn't take it anymore," he explained. "I can't be what they want me to be so I left."

"Good idea. I'm thinking of trying it myself sometime, you know. Just pack up and leave," she said with a casual wave of her hand. "My perfect sister can live up to their expectations, but I can't. You don't have a sister, do you?"

"No."

"You're lucky. Mine is _such_ a pain. We're the same age, so I can't even get away from her at school." She paused for a second to study his face again, then asked, "Do you go to Stokely Grammar? I don't think I've seen you there."

"My parents teach me at home. I'm Damien Clarke, by the way," he said, giving his father's surname.

"I'm Lucy. Lucy Branagh."

Branagh. The name sounded strangely familiar to Damien, though he couldn't remember where he had heard it before. "It's nice to meet you, Lucy."

* * *

><p>"May I refill your glass, Master?" Renfield asked, bringing over the pitcher of blood to where Vlad sat at the head of the dining room table. Vlad nodded and lifted the crystal goblet in his hand so Renfield could pour.<p>

"This is delicious," Ingrid purred, closing her eyes as she savored the contents of her own glass. "Earthy, with just a hint of spice."

Even Will muttered a "Very good", despite having barely spoken a word in Vlad's presence since their fight.

As Vlad drank he silently thought to himself that while the blood was still exceptionally rich, it had tasted even better the night before when it was hot and pouring from the breather's neck. Drinking a warmed glass of human blood was perfectly satisfying, but it always paled in comparison to the heavenly experience of drinking directly from the source.

Human blood made him physically stronger and enhanced his powers, but it also made him its slave because the hunger never went away for long. Sooner or later he always needed more blood. It was the one fight he would never win. Vlad decided it was better to surrender on his terms and drink as it suited him rather than to fight it until the bloodlust took hold, but it made no difference. There was always a small nagging thought telling him that he did have a choice, and he was simply too weak to resist temptation.

He had never killed a breather if he could avoid it… until last night. And this time he could not blame his actions on the hunger.

When he saw the breather's dark hair and fair skin, and looked into those brown eyes that reminded him so much of Robin, the anger he had been suppressing until then suddenly welled up from within him. Vlad found himself wanting to make the breather suffer for the misfortune of resembling the object of his rage. He wanted to bite the breather and drink until it was nothing but a dried-out corpse. So he did, imagining the whole time that it was Robin beneath his fangs.

His thoughts were interrupted by Ingrid's voice saying, "Renfield, go tell Damien to come down here and eat."

The grey haired servant obediently left to fetch the boy. Vlad glanced over at Damien's empty seat at the table. His nephew had yet to emerge from his room since running away in tears the night before. Damien's pathetic sobs had been difficult to ignore, but thankfully they didn't last. So maybe Vlad should not have killed the breather… he would not apologize for his actions, no matter how he felt about the kill. The Grand High Vampire doesn't have to apologize for anything.

Renfield soon returned to the dining room alone. Seeing that Damien was not with him, Ingrid snapped, "Well, where is he?"

"I'm sorry, Mistress Ingrid, but he is not in his room. The hellhound says he left the castle several hours ago."

"By himself? Where did he go?"

"I didn't ask, Mistress."

"Useless cockroach!" Pushing back her chair, Ingrid stood and threw her napkin down on the table before flitting from the room, with Will close behind.

Vlad decided to follow and a second later he was standing in what used to be his bedroom. He did not waste any time on nostalgia as he walked over to where Ingrid and Will stood with Zoltan.

Glaring down at the wolf, Ingrid asked, "Where is Damien?"

"I'm sorry Mistress Ingrid, but he asked me not to tell."

"I don't care what he asked you to do, you stubborn mutt. You answer us or I will rip out your stuffing and use it for kindling," Will threatened.

"That won't be necessary," Vlad said as he stepped forward. Will immediately moved aside to give Vlad space. "Zoltan, please tell us where he is."

Zoltan gave a reluctant whine and said, "I don't know, Master Vlad. He said he was running away."

"Why would he run away?" Ingrid asked.

Vlad had an idea of what caused Damien to flee, and apparently Zoltan did as well because the wolf looked directly at him, though he said nothing. "I think I know," Vlad said. "He saw me kill a breather last night."

Ingrid turned to stare at him in disbelief. "What?"

Ever since he stabbed Will, some small part of Vlad enjoyed seeing Ingrid's reaction to the fact that he was no longer afraid to get his hands dirty… or fangs, as the case may be. "Where do you think the blood you were just drinking came from? By the time I bit him, the human had already lost a lot of blood," he shrugged. "He would have died anyway."

"So that's why Damien was up here crying last night. I thought it was because we went out breather hunting," Will said, gesturing between himself and Ingrid.

"But we didn't kill our meal," Ingrid added, planting her hands on her hips and glaring at her brother. "This is all your fault. You said you would teach him to be more vampiric, not scare him away. What if something happens to him?"

It was clear to Vlad that beneath Ingrid's tough exterior she really was afraid for her son's safety. He liked Damien enough that he didn't want to see him hurt, but he was beginning to regret taking any responsibility for his nephew. "Don't worry, I'll find him," Vlad said to Ingrid. He turned and headed for the stairs where Nicolai waited on the other side of the door. As Vlad passed by he said, "Have Renfield get my cape. I'm going out."

* * *

><p>"So are you really planning on staying here tonight?" Lucy asked as she looked around the deserted park. It was getting cold since the sun set and she was thinking of going back home. She felt bad leaving Damien alone in the park, and thought about inviting him to go with her. Maybe her parents would let him stay at their house for the night.<p>

Damien shrugged. "I don't know where else to go. I've never been very far from the castle."

That couldn't be right. Everyone in Stokely knew the old castle had been abandoned many years ago. "Are you saying _you_ live in Stokely Castle?"

A bat fluttered by overhead, causing Damien to suddenly gasp and jump to his feet. "You have to get out of here!"

"What? Why?" she asked, not getting up.

He grabbed Lucy's arm and pulled her off the bench. "It's my uncle, he's here!" Damien pushed her away. "Go!"

Startled by Damien's fearful reaction, Lucy ran for cover behind a large chestnut tree. She didn't hear anyone else in the park – how did Damien know his uncle was nearby?

Then she heard Damien shout, "Leave me alone!"

Lucy peered around the tree trunk and saw an older gothic teenager looming over Damien as he held him by the shirt collar. She did not see the second man standing in the shadows until he stepped into the moonlight, watching Damien and the goth teen from a respectful distance. He appeared to be in his late twenties and he wore black leather clothes and a long cape like the teen. Who were these people?

"Your parents and I were worried about you, Damien," the teen hissed. "Imagine our surprise when Zoltan told us you had run away."

"And I'm not going back. Let me go!" Damien twisted in his uncle's grasp, trying to get away without any success.

"Nice try," the teen said condescendingly as his nephew squirmed. "You're coming with us." To the man lurking nearby he said, "Get his things."

The other man reached out towards the suitcase and it immediately flew from its spot next to the bench into his hand. The teen rose off the ground and flew – literally flew – above the trees and away, taking Damien with him. The other man followed close behind them. When they were gone Lucy hurried out to where they had stood only moments ago and stared up between the trees at the patch of dark sky overhead, trying to make sense of what she had seen. But nothing made sense. People couldn't fly. It was impossible, unless they were superheroes or aliens or... vampires.

Stokely just got more interesting.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: I have to apologize for the extremely long gap between uploading chapter 11 and chapter 12. Internet problems kept me off this site for several weeks, but everything seems to be working fine now. I know I've said it many times before, but again I want to thank everyone for the reviews. Those things said, I won't take up any more space with this note than I already have. Please enjoy the chapter.

* * *

><p>"Put me down!" Damien cried, squirming in Vlad's grasp as they descended outside the castle.<p>

"As you wish." Vlad dropped him the last few feet.

Unprepared for the sudden drop, Damien lost his balance and fell over as soon as he hit the ground. "Your landing needs work," Vlad commented as his feet lightly touched down next to him. Damien quickly stood up, scowling but unhurt by the short fall. Vlad grabbed Damien by the shirt again and pulled him along as he flit into the great hall. As he waited for the dizziness to subside from the sudden movement, Damien noticed that his parents and Dmitri were there waiting for them.

"I found the boy," Vlad announced, finally letting go of him. "He was in the park."

"I suppose we should thank you for finding him," Will replied somewhat reluctantly. It was possibly the nicest thing Damien had ever heard his father say to Vlad. Vlad must have been telling the truth when he told Damien that his parents were worried about him.

Nicolai walked into the room without a word and handed the suitcase to Renfield as he went over to where Dmitri stood. "It seems he found my old suitcase at some point," Vlad said with a glance at the luggage in Renfield's hands. "It took a lot of nerve to actually run away, I'll grant him that." If it weren't so difficult to believe, Damien would have thought he heard a touch of admiration in his uncle's voice.

"What were you thinking, leaving the castle during the day?" Ingrid scolded her son.

"He wants me to be a murderer like him," Damien said, pointing at Vlad. "I hate it here. I just want to be normal, so I left."

"And you will be normal," Ingrid replied, reaching out to affectionately stroke Damien's hair. "A normal vampire."

Damien shook his head. "I won't. You can't make me evil."

Despite the conviction in Damien's words, the others in the room merely smiled. Will crossed his arms and smirked at Vlad. "Now you've done it. Great job teaching him to a vampire."

Vlad shot him a hard look and Will quickly stopped smiling. "And you were doing better before I intervened?" he retorted scornfully. "If his training was left to you he'd reach his sixteenth birthday entirely unprepared for what awaits him after his transformation. What we do isn't pleasant, but it's something he's better off learning while he's young."

"I've told you; I'm not going to be a vampire," Damien insisted.

Ingrid noticed Vlad's quiet sigh and said to him, "Now you know what it was like for me to listen to you for all those years. I couldn't have cared less about you, but I don't want my son running away to live with breathers."

"What do you expect me to do about it?"

"Didn't you say you would look after him?" Ingrid asked with a smug look. Damien recognized his mother's tone as the same one she used whenever she knew she had just won an argument.

Vlad's eyes narrowed slightly as he also realized Ingrid had won. "That is true." Vlad looked Damien over as though judging whether his nephew was worth the effort. "I'm leaving in four nights, but I suppose we can keep an eye on him until then," he replied, inclining his head toward where Nicolai and Dmitri stood.

"It doesn't matter what you do, I'll escape when you're shut in your coffin during the day," Damien snarled as fiercely as he could, emboldened by his anger at being forced to return to the castle. "You think you're so powerful, but you don't control me!"

The stillness that followed Damien's challenge told him he had gone too far. Surely such open defiance would not be overlooked. As his words hung in the air, the other vampires in the room waited for Vlad's reaction. But Vlad did not attack him as he had done to Will a few nights ago or display his powers as angered vampires often did. He didn't even raise his voice as he smiled knowingly and replied, "I think you'll find that I can."

* * *

><p>Later that night when everyone else in the Branagh house was sound asleep Lucy was still wide awake. She lay in her bed staring up at the ceiling as she tried to convince herself that she wasn't losing her mind.<p>

Vampires were real and living in Stokely. Capes, flight, castles, super strength… it was the only explanation that made sense. The boy she met in the park, Damien, wasn't a vampire as far as she could tell. But why was he living in the old castle with them? Was the vampire who carried him away really his uncle? Her instincts told her she was missing something... she just didn't know what.

Lucy rolled over and looked at her alarm clock just as the glowing digits switched from 1:59 to 2:00. Two in the morning. If only she could sleep.

Something clattered outside her window and the sound made her jump. She didn't know what made the noise, but she couldn't help thinking that a vampire followed her home and was trying to get inside. Vampires had to be invited in didn't they? That's what she had seen in several horror films, and she hoped it was true. Too terrified to do anything else, she squeezed her eyes shut and tried not to move.

A stifling silence filled the room, and after a minute she risked opening her eyes again, half expecting to see a fanged monster inches away from her face, but she didn't see anything. Letting out the breath she had been holding, Lucy sat up in bed and looked out the window. There was nothing there either. Feeling braver, she got up and went over to the window to investigate the sound. She squinted into the darkness and looked for what could have made the noise. Just then a cat bolted out of the vegetable garden carrying some small unfortunate animal in its mouth. Suddenly Lucy felt silly for being so frightened. There were no monsters out there, only a stray cat hunting mice.

From the window she could just barely see the castle on top of the hill as it formed a black silhouette against the night sky. For as long as she could remember, the castle stood abandoned on top of the hill, slowly crumbling into further disrepair. She never would have imagined that anyone lived there, let alone vampires. Lucy knew she should leave the matter alone and try to forget about what she saw, but she had a feeling it wouldn't be so easy.

* * *

><p>"I know you can hear me!" Damien cried, angrily kicking his bedroom door. "You can't keep me in here forever!" He paused to wait for an answer, but when nothing happened he gave the door one last kick before beginning to pace around the room.<p>

On Vlad's orders Dmitri was standing guard outside Damien's door. It had been hours since Vlad ordered him to be locked in his room, and he had only been let out to use the toilet. Even then Dmitri waited by the bathroom door the whole time, then swiftly escorted him back to his room. It didn't matter that he wasn't locked in the dungeon; he was still a prisoner. "I don't suppose you can help me get out of here?" he asked Zoltan.

"I'm only a stuffed wolf, not your fairy godmother."

Damien stopped pacing long enough to ask, "Wait, are you saying that_ I_ have a _fairy godmother_?"

"No. The only time your godmother has wings is when she turns into a bat."

"That's no help," Damien muttered as he resumed his pacing.

After a while he got another idea. Going over to the window, Damien threw open the shutters and leaned out to look at the ground below. It was a long way down. He flicked a loose pebble off the window ledge and watched it fall. If only he had a rope to help him climb down the outside of the tower. Even if he did have a rope, he had always been a bit clumsy and would probably fall and break his neck, Damien thought to himself.

He heard Zoltan say from behind him, "I hope you're not planning on escaping that way. You can't fly yet, and if you try it you'll only hurt yourself."

Feeling discouraged, Damien pulled his head back inside. "I know," he replied.

For once in his life Damien wished he _could_ fly. Then he would be free. He cast another look at the locked wooden door. How long would this punishment last?

* * *

><p>Upon returning home from school the next day Lucy collected every book and DVD she owned even remotely related to vampires, with the intention of learning all she could about the undead. After about an hour of reading she went downstairs to the kitchen for a snack, and noticed Karen sitting in the front room with her feet up on the sofa and her nose buried in a book. "What are you reading?" Lucy asked even though she already knew the answer. There was only one book that could capture her sister's attention so completely.<p>

Karen lifted the book so Lucy could see the cover. A wolf looked out from the cover of the book, half of its face obscured by shadows and the words 'Vampire Moon Book Two: The Hunters' embossed near the bottom in silver letters.

Trying to appear only mildly curious, Lucy asked, "What's that one about?"

Obviously surprised by her twin showing any interest in her favorite supernatural romance series, Karen warily replied, "Why do you want to know?"

"Oh, you know… you're obsessed with them and most of the people at school have read the books. I guess I was just wondering what's so special about them."

"I can lend you the first book to read if you'd like."

"I don't know, maybe," she replied. Lucy doubted that the Vampire Moon books were a reliable resource for learning about vampires, but it couldn't hurt to find out. "What are the vampires in the book like?"

"You know how vampires are supposed to go around biting people and sucking their blood?" Lucy nodded, so she continued, "These vampires aren't like that at all. They feed from animals, not people. Only the bad vampires bite people. Cole – that's one of the main characters – and his family can blend in with ordinary people most of the time, and they coexist peacefully with humans."

Vampires living among humans? Like Damien living with his vampire uncle? From what she had seen the night before, it didn't look like a 'peaceful' coexistence. "Why would vampires want to coexist with humans?"

"Because they're not mindless killers like zombies or something. They don't want to hurt anyone. They just want to live their lives without anyone bothering them."

"You don't really believe vampires exist, do you?"

"Of course not," Karen said quickly. "But wouldn't it be cool if they did?"

Lucy hummed in absentminded agreement, remembering the events she witnessed the previous evening. If someone told her a week ago that there were vampires living in Stokely, she might have thought it was a cool idea, however unrealistic. "Yeah," she muttered. "Cool." But it wasn't at all.

She had no idea how many vampires were living in the castle, but she did know that the two she saw in the park were dangerous, and Damien clearly didn't want to go with them. And what did they do to him after they took him away? All the books in the world wouldn't tell her what these vampires wanted or what had become of Damien. If she wanted answers there was only one way to get them.

* * *

><p>Lucy felt the air grow colder as she climbed the hill to the castle. Even though the sky that day was unusually blue with only a few white wisps of clouds, the top of the hill was shaded by a dark cloud hovering over the castle. The storm cloud did not drift as clouds normally do but instead stayed centered over the crumbling structure, almost as if the castle itself was the source of the ominous weather.<p>

It occurred to Lucy upon her arrival that she had no plan to get inside. She couldn't exactly knock on the front door and introduce herself to the first bloodthirsty vampire who answered. She circled the castle, looking for another way in, but found none.

Looking up, she noticed that all the windows were closed off by heavy wooden shutters, except for one. A small window near the top of the tower was open. _I can climb that_, she thought to herself. Using some protruding stones as handholds and footholds, Lucy grasped the wall and began to climb. She hadn't gone very far when her foot slipped and she lost her grip, falling to the ground. She landed with a 'thud' and swore out loud. Lucy got up, rubbing her bruised hip and cursing under her breath.

"Hello? Who's there?" a voice asked from above.

She looked up and saw the boy from the park leaning out of the window to peer down at her. "Damien, is that you?" she called back.

"Lucy? What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see if you were okay. You did get carried away by a _vampire_, didn't you?"

After a brief pause he answered, "What do you know about vampires?"

"Not much," she admitted. "Did he hurt you?"

"Um, no, I'm fine, but I am locked in."

"Do you have anything you could use to climb down?"

"If I did I would have used it already," Damien replied irritably.

"_Touchy_," Lucy commented. "I'm only trying to help you."

"You should go home. It's not safe here."

There was a sense of urgency to Damien's voice the same as the night before, but this time Lucy stood her ground. "I can't just leave you here. Who knows what those vampires will do to you?"

"Don't worry, I'll be okay."

"But how do you know they won't—" Before she could finish what she was saying Lucy was cut off by a strong hand on her shoulder.


	13. Chapter 13

Vlad sat with his elbows propped up on the dining room table and his head bowed as he massaged his temples with his fingertips.

For some reason he had not been sleeping well in recent days. When he woke up in the middle of the afternoon for the third time that week he knew it was useless to even try to get the rest he craved. Vlad got out of his coffin and dressed even though he felt exhausted. He felt sorry for Nicolai, who dutifully awoke and accompanied him upstairs despite needing sleep just as much as Vlad.

Nicolai had gone to wake up Renfield to have him prepare something for his master to eat, and left Vlad alone to sit alone at the head of the long table.

Vlad welcomed the peace and quiet of the castle during the daylight hours, free from all other distractions. He had too much on his mind… the assassination attempts, the rebels trying to take over, the trouble with Robin and now Damien… it was enough to give him a headache.

Nothing was going well for him. Nicolai and Dmitri assured him every night that the security forces in Transylvania were doing everything in their power to find the vampire or vampires who tried to slay him and who drove him into hiding, but there were still no answers. Between nearly getting killed in Transylvania and nearly getting killed in Stokely, he would rather take his chances in Transylvania. If he was there at least he would be able to bring the Council under control.

And losing Robin's friendship… that was his biggest disappointment. Robin was still the most likely suspect in the crossbow attack in Vlad's crypt. Each time that Vlad thought about the incident and failed to find a better explanation only strengthened his belief that it must have been Robin. At first Vlad tried to convince himself that Robin didn't do it, but he had not forgotten the way Robin looked at him just before virtually slamming the door in his face the last time they spoke. There was distrust, dare he say loathing burning behind Robin's deep brown eyes as he warned Vlad to stay away. And didn't he respect Robin's wishes? He had not seen Robin since then. Had it only been four days since he went to say goodbye to Robin? It felt much longer.

If there was one thing his time as Grand High Vampire had taught him, it was that there was no one in the vampire world he could trust, and now that he knew that lesson applied to the breather world as well. "Serves me right for coming back here," he muttered.

Ever since Vlad killed the breather as part of Damien's 'lesson' he'd been having vivid fantasies of murdering Robin Branagh. In his imagination he knew exactly how to hunt his former friend. On a starless night he would fly to Robin's house, and wait until he left the house alone. Sometimes he would have car keys in his hand as he prepared to take the family sedan. Other times he would set off on foot, but the fantasies always ended the same way. Vlad would sneak up behind him as silently as a shadow, muffling the man's scream with his hand as he flew away with Robin, who would never be seen again.

He knew he shouldn't enjoy such violent thoughts, but Vlad couldn't help relishing the fear he imagined seeing in Robin's eyes after they landed in a secluded place and Robin turned around to see who had taken him. Perhaps he would try to back away and raise his hands to ward off Vlad, or start to beg for his life before Vlad's fangs sank deep into his neck.

Afterward Vlad would always feel guilty for indulging in the fantasies, but not enough to stop having them. He told himself that the right thing to do was let it go, allow Robin to live out his short human life in peace. Vlad survived the crossbow attack unharmed, and soon he would leave Stokely forever and would never have to see Robin again. He had to try to put his problems with Robin in the past, because if he didn't he might do something he would later regret.

Vlad picked up his head as Renfield arrived carrying a glass of freshly warmed blood on a serving tray. He saw Nicolai standing at his usual place near the door and wondered how long he had been waiting there. "Your drink, Master Vladimir," Renfield said as he placed the tray on the table. "For breakfast we have a selection of fermented—"

"Please, not today, Renfield. I'll just have the blood."

"Very well," Renfield replied, slightly huffy at Vlad turning down his cooking before even hearing the menu. "Will you need anything else, Master?"

"No, thank you Renfield." Vlad waited for Renfield to leave the room before saying to Nicolai, "I hope you have made the travel arrangements for our return to Transylvania."

"As you requested," he replied with a nod.

For once Nicolai did not try to convince him to stay in Stokely longer, and for that Vlad was grateful. He couldn't wait to go back to Transylvania and forget he ever met Robin Branagh.

* * *

><p>"Lucy! Karen! Pizza's here!" Bronwyn called up the stairs. "They've been unusually quiet this evening," she said to Robin as she sat down at the table. "No screaming at each other, no slammed doors, none of Lucy's rock music rattling the walls…"<p>

"They must be planning something," Robin joked.

A moment later Karen entered the kitchen and slid into her seat. "Finally. I'm starving."

"Karen, where's your sister?" Bronwyn asked.

"I don't know. She said she was going to Emily's house," she replied, reaching for a slice of the pepperoni pizza and taking a bite. Emily used to be Lucy's best friend, but they had drifted apart since Lucy started hanging around with her new friends. It seemed unusual for her to start spending time with Emily again.

"Did she say when she would be back?"

Karen only shook her head, her mouth too full to talk.

"I'll text her and ask," Robin said, getting up from the table and taking his mobile phone from its charging station. "She'd better not be out somewhere getting into trouble."

* * *

><p>The vampire escorted Lucy inside the castle and into a cavernous hall. An imposing throne at the far end sat empty, and a man who looked like a servant was carrying logs over to the large fireplace. "Where is he?" her captor asked the man.<p>

"Master Vladimir is having his breakfast."

"Go tell him there is a matter that requires his attention."

The servant put the wood down by the fireplace and left. In the meantime they waited in the middle of the room, with only the crackling of the fire breaking the silence. Lucy knew better than to try to escape. She wondered what they were waiting for, and what would happen to her now that she had been caught by vampires. Damien's uncle entered the room followed by the same man from the night before.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, Dmitri, but aren't I the one who summons you, not the other way around?" he asked lightly.

Lucy felt the hand on her shoulder tighten. Dmitri replied, "Yes, Grandness, but I thought you would want to deal with this immediately."

Vladimir's eyes appeared to darken as they fell upon her. "Lucy Branagh." It wasn't a question; he knew exactly who she was.

"How do you know my name?" she blurted out as he approached.

"I know who you are because I know your father." The vampire stopped a couple of feet away and looked her up and down as though she were an object of curiosity.

"You do?" Lucy asked in a trembling voice. She was so stunned that she wondered if she heard him correctly.

Vladimir hesitated slightly before replying, "We were close friends… once."

Momentarily forgetting the danger she was in, Lucy spoke aloud the first words that came to her mind. "You're lying." There was no way her dad could be friends with a vampire; he was too normal. It had to be a lie.

"I'm afraid not." The vampire gently grasped her chin and tilted her face up as he studied her. "You have your father's eyes." There was something about the way he said it that sent a chill through Lucy. Vladimir's eyes began to glow a faint yellow as he asked, "What brings you to my castle, Miss Branagh?"

Lucy wanted to lie for Damien's sake and say she was only there because she wanted to see the castle up close. She tried to lie, but she couldn't. "I saw you take Damien from the park. I came here to help him." Lucy's eyes went wide and she clenched her jaws shut, but it was too late.

Satisfied with her response, Vladimir released her and looked to the vampire at his side. "Bring my nephew in."

The vampire left so quickly that Lucy saw nothing more than a blur flash out of a doorway. Damien's uncle moved back to give her some space but continued to stare at her with a calculating and almost hungry expression, like a cat watching its prey. The silence was becoming unbearable when he finally spoke. "What did Damien tell you about us?"

"He didn't tell me anything," Lucy replied.

"And your father, did he ever say anything about vampires?"

"He mentioned them a few times, but he never said they were real." Lucy knew she would have remembered that conversation if it had happened.

Just then the guard returned with Damien. "I'm so sorry, are you okay?" Damien asked as soon as he saw Lucy.

How could she possibly be okay? She glanced up at his uncle for a moment then shook her head.

"Do you know this girl?" Vladimir asked him. "It seems she is under the impression you need to be rescued from us."

"She's my friend. I met her last night."

"What a coincidence… you befriending a Branagh."

"Please, Uncle Vlad, have mercy. Let her go."

"Mercy? Again I have failed you in your instruction. Let me make this perfectly clear… our kind does not show mercy."

Lucy felt a plummeting sensation in her gut. _Our kind_? "You're one of them?" she asked, bewildered. "You're a vampire too?"

Damien froze as though calculating the risk he was taking, then slowly nodded.

She shook her head in denial. "I can't believe this." It was too much to take in. How could that boy – that living, breathing boy – be a vampire?

Just then two short electronic chirps rang out in the hall. In a flash the vampire beside Damien's uncle assumed a protective stance between him and Lucy. His face morphed into that of a fanged creature with glowing red eyes as he hissed at her. She let out a frightened shriek and jumped back, bumping into the other guard who she forgot was standing behind her. Looking up, she saw his face had also transformed and she screamed again, stumbling backwards and falling to the floor. "It's just my phone!" she explained desperately as she shrank away from the snarling vampires who towered over her.

"Enough," a deep voice echoed. The vampires immediately drew back and their faces returned to normal. Gasping for breath, Lucy looked over to where Vlad stood calmly watching her, his guard once again expressionless and standing beside him. Damien hurried over to help Lucy to her feet again. Vlad made an impatient sound and Damien obediently returned to his uncle's side. "Stay," Vlad muttered to him before approaching Lucy. He held out his hand to her and said, "Give it here."

Lucy cautiously reached a trembling hand into her pocket and took out her mobile phone. The glowing screen showed there was a new text message. As soon as she handed it over to Vlad he asked, "Do your parents know you're here?"

She shook her head. "I said I was going to see a friend." Vlad stared at her as though looking directly into her thoughts. She didn't want to know what the vampire was thinking; she just wanted to get out of there. He didn't show any intention of letting her go, but instead turned his attention to her phone. Desperate for a way out, she added, "You should let me go before they start to wonder where I am."

Vlad ignored her as he tapped the screen to dismiss the text and opened the contacts list. He selected the entry listed as 'Dad' and caught Lucy's gaze again. The yellow glow returned to his eyes, even stronger than the first time, and Lucy felt a haze settle upon her thoughts until the only thing she was aware of was Vlad's voice as he said, "When I give you this phone you will speak to your father and you will follow the instructions I give you. Do you understand?"

She nodded. Vlad hit the 'send' icon and held out the phone to her. Still in a trance, Lucy took the phone from him and held it to her ear. Vlad slowly circled around her as it rang. She heard her father answer, "Lucy?"

"Hey Dad," she said automatically.

Standing behind her, Vlad leaned close to whisper in her other ear, "Tell him your friend invited you to sleep over."

"Emily invited me to sleep over."

"All right. What time do you think you'll be back?"

"Say 'I don't know," Vlad instructed.

"I don't know."

"Let me know when you're on your way home, okay?"

"'Okay'."

"Okay," she repeated.

"Say 'bye dad'."

"Bye Dad."

Vlad removed the phone from Lucy's hand and ended the call. He clicked his fingers and Lucy immediately felt the trance break. "What was that about?" she asked as the emotional numbness of the trance faded and fear crept back in. "Why don't you let me go? What do you want from me?" As soon as she asked the question she realized that she probably knew what the vampires wanted. Lucy unconsciously put a hand up to her throat to protect it. Vlad chuckled and the other vampires echoed him.

"Relax, I'm not going to bite you. You're of no use to me if you're dead. Or do you want to be a vampire?" He smiled to reveal his fangs, and then laughed at the way her face blanched.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Damien said, finally driven to protest.

Vlad's smiled vanished as he looked at his nephew and growled, "Don't tempt me." He quickly regained his composure and said, "This has been enlightening for us all. Nicolai, please escort Damien back to his room. Dmitri, help make our guest at home in one of the spare crypts. She may be staying with us for a while."

"No!" Damien cried as the vampire nearest to him took hold of his arm to keep him from rushing forward. At the same time Lucy felt a strong icy hand at the nape of her neck. She tried to break free, but the vampire swung her over his shoulder and carried her away. "Let go of me!" she shouted. Lucy kicked and hit with no effect. She looked up just in time to see Damien being dragged out of the room in the opposite direction.

* * *

><p>"Was that Lucy?" Bronwyn asked as Robin put away his phone.<p>

"Yeah," he replied distractedly, sitting down again. It wasn't unusual for Lucy to tell them her plans at the last minute if she told them at all, but this time something was different. It might have been the mobile phone, but something in her voice sounded… off.

When Robin didn't provide more detail Bronwyn asked, "Well, what did she say?"

"She's going to stay at Emily's tonight."

"I'm glad she's spending time with Emily again. Maybe you finally got through to her."

Robin murmured in agreement, but he was still thinking about the way Lucy sounded on the phone. Something wasn't right. It almost sounded as if she were in a trance. He heard that same emotionless monotone in the past when the Draculas hypnotized various people... He felt his heart skip a beat. Could they have found her?

Bronwyn's light touch on his arm startled him. "Is everything alright?" she asked.

"Yes," he said, his voice strained. He cleared his throat and nodded. "Of course."

She patted his arm reassuringly and smiled up at him. Robin forced himself to smile back, though he could feel a sense of worry starting to loom over him. He hurried to finish eating and made an excuse of wanting to go outside for some fresh air.

As soon as he was safely outside Robin took out his phone again and stared at it, hoping that he was wrong and that Lucy was safe at Emily's house. With all his instincts screaming warnings at him, he knew he couldn't afford to wait to find out.

* * *

><p>After everyone else left Vlad lingered for a couple of minutes in the great hall, marveling at what had just happened. Robin's daugther showing up at his castle was one of the last things he expected to see. It was quite a coincidence, especially since she had no idea who Vlad was. She obviously didn't have an affinity for vampires like Robin had at that age. She was terrified of him. <em>She should be<em>, he thought to himself.

Returning to the dining room, Vlad carelessly threw the mobile phone onto the table and sat again. He picked up his unfinished glass of blood and took a sip only to find that it had cooled to room temperature in his absence. Vlad frowned as he set the glass aside. He hated lukewarm blood; it was like drinking from a stale corpse.

"Is everything alright, Your Grandness?" Nicolai was back and watching Vlad from the opposite end of the room.

"I've lost my appetite," Vlad replied, noticing Dmitri as he discreetly slipped back into the dining room to lurk near the door.

"Is it the blood?" Nicolai asked. "If you want I can get you something fresher. I'm sure the breather girl could withstand losing a pint."

"Nicolai, let me make something very clear…" Vlad said, clasping his hands together on the table in front of him and leaning forward to look up at Nicolai. "No one, I repeat, _no one_ is to lay a fang on that girl. Anyone who draws even a single drop of her blood will answer to me. Is that understood?" he asked, directing the question to both Nicolai and Dmitri.

"Yes Your Grandness," they replied.

Vlad leaned back in his chair again, but his expression remained tense.

"Forgive me for asking, but what are you planning on doing with the breather?" Nicolai asked.

Vlad had not given much thought to what he was going to do with her. He could have wiped her memory and sent her home, but something told him the girl was too valuable to let her just walk away that easily.

As if he knew what Vlad was thinking, Dmitri said, "She is Robin Branagh's daughter. If he's the one who tried to slay you he wouldn't dare try it again if he believed her life hung in the balance."

"Or it might provoke him to violence, whether or not he is the culprit," Nicolai added gravely.

"Are you saying you have another suspect in mind?" Dmitri replied.

"I'm saying we don't know how he will react."

Vlad nodded slowly as he considered Dmitri's suggestion. "I think Dmitri might have a good idea, but I will have to think about it."

Nicolai appeared partially appeased by Vlad's response, but even so he asked, "And what will you do if there's another attack?"

But Vlad didn't have an answer for Nicolai. He had never taken a hostage before, let alone followed through on a threat to harm one. Just then Lucy's phone began to play a musical sound as the screen blinked to life again. Vlad reached out to pick up the phone and look at the name that had appeared: Dad. Part of him wanted to let the call go to voicemail so he could buy some more time to decide what to do with Lucy. It wasn't too late to erase the breather girl's memory so Robin would never know she had been to the castle, but another part of him wanted nothing more than to make Robin fully understand the consequences of crossing the Grand High Vampire.

After a moment's deliberation Vlad tapped the screen with his thumb and held the phone up to his ear. "Hello, Robin."


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: It's been a while since my last update because the only time I've had to work on this lately is in the middle of the night. My schedule will free up a bit in May, so the wait won't be as long for the last three chapters. I hope you're all still enjoying the story. Thanks for reading!

* * *

><p>"Hello, Robin."<p>

Those two words instantly turned the blood in Robin's veins to ice. He had expected Lucy to answer with her usual reluctance, but instead he was greeted by the very last voice he wanted to hear. It took a moment for him to recover enough from the shock to ask, "Vlad?"

The smug voice replied, "That's right."

"Where's Lucy?" Robin tried to sound forceful, but he couldn't stop his voice from shaking.

"I'll give you one guess," Vlad replied, and with that the phone went dead.

* * *

><p>Vlad stood alone in his crypt as he fastened a long cape around his shoulders. He adjusted the cape, straightening and smoothing it until it was the way he wanted. Years of practice meant he no longer needed servants to help him with his clothes and hair. He knew exactly how he looked even without a reflection.<p>

He opened one of the trunks he brought with him from Transylvania and reached inside with both hands to remove a metal box. Vlad set it on the closed lid of his coffin and took a step back. "Open," Vlad commanded, his voice deep and echoing. The box immediately opened to reveal the crown of power nestled within a crimson velvet lining.

When Vlad touched the bones he felt a familiar sensation, almost like an electric current passing from the crown to his hand as the crown recognized him as its master. It was one of the reasons he disliked wearing the crown… the reminder that he was _chosen_. He had not worn the crown since the night he returned Stokely, but this night would be special and he wanted to dress for the occasion. He carefully placed the crown on his head, closing his eyes for a few seconds as he readjusted to the feeling of wearing it again.

"Well look at you all dressed up." Ingrid's voice at the door made him turn around.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, seeing her leaning against the doorframe with her arms casually folded in front of her.

"I woke up a few minutes ago and noticed the door to Dad's old crypt is locked," she said conversationally. "It sounds like there's a girl crying in there... a breather by my guess. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

"It's Robin's daughter," Vlad replied calmly.

Ingrid appeared momentarily taken aback. "Robin's daughter?" she repeated, briefly turning her head as though to look back towards the crypt in question. "You've always had an unhealthy obsession with Branagh, but this is a bit much don't you think?"

"Let's just say I have a score to settle with him, and I want you and Will to keep out of it. Can you do that?"

Ingrid scoffed. "As if I want to get involved in your squabble with Branagh."

"Good. Prove it by staying out of the way. He'll be here soon."

* * *

><p>Robin banged on the castle door with his fist. "Let me in!" he shouted, striking the door as hard as he could. When Renfield opened the door he appeared unsurprised to see Robin standing there, his face flushed red with anger as he asked, "Where's Vlad?"<p>

"The Grand High Vampire is expecting you," Renfield answered with uncharacteristic poise. He gestured to the great hall as he stepped aside to let Robin enter.

"I'll bet he is," Robin growled, crossing the threshold and marching towards the great hall.

As Renfield had said, Vlad was waiting for Robin. The Grand High Vampire sat on the Count's former throne at the far side of the room while his bodyguards stood on either side of him. He wore a crown of human bones which Robin had last seen resting in the dust of the Vlad's predecessor. The elaborate display of vampire authority did not faze Robin as he stopped in front of the throne and demanded, "Give me my daughter."

The corners of Vlad's mouth curled upward ever so slightly, but the gaze he fixed Robin with was cold. "What makes you think I have her?"

"You have her phone! She's been here all along, hasn't she?"

Vlad broke into a broad smile this time, though something about the expression sounded a warning in the back of Robin's mind. A note of taunting amusement entered Vlad's voice as he said, "That's what I've always liked about you. You catch on quick."

"Too bad I can't say the same for you," he retorted. "I told you to leave my family alone."

The smile vanished. "And I did, but your daughter came to me. Dmitri caught her trespassing."

"Then where is she?"

"She's in the crypts."

The color drained from Robin's face until he was almost as pale as Vlad. Robin had to fight against a sudden faintness that made the ground under his feet feel as if it were moving. "What have you done?" The words came out as little more than a whisper, his voice quieted by dread.

"I haven't done anything to her… _yet_." The look Vlad gave him carried an unspoken threat which Robin understood all too clearly.

What he couldn't understand was why Vlad would suddenly decide to kidnap Lucy. The last time Robin saw Vlad he was apologetic and trying to convince Robin that he was harmless. Vlad was not this cruel vampire he now faced. Something had changed, though Robin didn't know what. Could Vlad actually hurt Lucy? "She's just a child, for God's sake. She's not a threat to you."

"That makes no difference to me."

Trying to reason with Vlad, he said, "Look, it's me you want, isn't it? I'm here, so let her go."

"The girl stays where she is."

"If you hurt her, I swear I will kill you."

Though Robin was virtually shaking with rage, Vlad sat as still as a carved statue, taking in the sight before him with an unreadable expression. His lips barely moved, but his words were clearly audible as he asked, "Will you?" In one fluid movement he stood and glided towards Robin with unnatural grace. He approached slowly, as though daring Robin to act.

Robin couldn't hold back his anger any longer. As soon as the vampire was close enough, he swung his fist at Vlad's face as hard as he could. Before Robin's fist reached its target, Vlad caught it and used it as leverage to spin him around, pinning his arm behind his back. "Too slow."

"You'll regret this!" Robin spat, trying to throw Vlad off him. Despite Robin's best efforts to free himself, Vlad kept him nearly immobilized with one hand.

"So you would try to kill me, your best friend, is that it?"

"I'm not your friend and you're not mine. Vampires don't have friends. _Monsters_ don't have friends."

"You even talk like a slayer. And to think I doubted you were capable of setting slayer's traps. I didn't know you were such a traitorous coward."

"What are you talking about?" Robin asked indignantly. "I haven't done anything of the sort."

"Don't play stupid with me. I know you're the one who set the crossbow in my crypt." Vlad traced the faint scars on Robin's neck with his fingertips and hissed in his ear, "Somehow I always knew you'd betray me eventually. I should have killed you twenty years ago."

Robin tried to pull away from Vlad's touch, but Vlad twisted his arm harder, making Robin wince. "Vlad, don't..." Something in Vlad's voice made Robin sincerely believe Vlad was ready to kill him. It wasn't Vlad doing this. It couldn't be.

"Losing your nerve?" Vlad scoffed at Robin's plea. "I ought to drain you dry and leave your corpse to the ravens. It would be a fitting punishment for an assassin."

"Listen to me; I never set any traps. It wasn't me."

"Liar!" Vlad snarled, increasing the pressure on Robin's arm.

The pain threatened to bring tears to Robin's eyes. "It's the truth!"

"Give me one reason to believe you."

Robin's mind raced, trying to find an answer before Vlad decided to sink his fangs into his neck. "Jonathan Van Helsing. He's in Stokely."

Vlad released Robin's arm and shoved him away. Robin caught his balance and turned to face Vlad while clutching his injured arm to his chest. He was breathing hard.

"Van Helsing." The words were a barely audible hiss under Vlad's breath, uttered with the disgust of a curse.

A twisted sense of satisfaction filled Robin at seeing the way the unexpected news finally cracked Vlad's sense of absolute control. "That's right," Robin snapped at him. "He's back, and he's after your dust." Vlad caught Robin's gaze with a fierce glare, and Robin held it with equal intensity. "He even tried to convince me to help him, but I refused. I told him I wouldn't _betray a_ _friend_," he said with a short humorless laugh.

The bitterness in Robin's voice must have convinced Vlad it was the truth. He relaxed his stance, but the interrogation wasn't over. "What did he want you to do?"

"I didn't stay to find out, did I? It doesn't matter. He knows the secret entrances and passageways of the castle better than I do, and he wants you dead. He won't give up. He's determined to slay you or die trying."

"I think we can arrange that," Vlad chuckled as a mirthless smile played across his features. Robin noticed Vlad's bodyguards exchange knowing smirks as well. "Fine. You want your daughter back? I want Van Helsing," Vlad said to him. "I'll make you a deal. You bring the slayer to me, and in return I will give you the girl."

"Why should I believe you?"

"You don't have much of a choice, do you?"

This time it was Robin's turn to break from Vlad's gaze while he thought about his options. He didn't know of any other way to get Lucy back safely. He also didn't know if he could deliver another human being to what would surely be his death at the hands of a vampire. Could he become an accomplice to murder?

With a swish of his cape Vlad turned and began to walk away, apparently interpreting Robin's silence as refusal. "It's too bad," he said with a mock-sigh, "I was going to promise to keep Lucy safe until you brought me the slayer, but now I guess I have no reason to make such a promise."

Vlad's comment touched a nerve in Robin, and he immediately knew what he had to do. His conscience would have to find a way to live with the guilt. "Wait. I'll do it," he replied, his voice heavy with defeat.

Vlad stopped short of the door and turned to face Robin again. "Sorry, what was that?" he asked, pretending not to have heard Robin clearly the first time.

"I said I'll do it. I'll bring Van Helsing to the castle."

* * *

><p>"I spy… something beginning with 'B'."<p>

"Blood," Damien grumbled without opening his eyes. His foot ached from spending over an hour kicking his door to be let out, and he had resigned himself to sprawling on his bed with his head buried under his pillow.

"Very good, Master Damien," Zoltan said, wagging his tail. "Now it's your turn."

Damien sat up. "I don't want to play any more games, Zoltan."

"But you've done nothing but lie there all evening. And you've barely touched your food."

"You mean this?" Damien asked, picking up the glass of blood from the tray by his bedside. "This is not food. None of this is food." He put the glass back next to the bowl of maggots that Renfield had brought in with the blood.

The sound of a key turning in the lock made Damien leap to his feet. The bolt slid aside and the door swung open to reveal Nicolai standing on the other side. "What do you want?" Damien asked sulkily.

"The Grand High Vampire requests your presence."

Damien rolled his eyes at Nicolai's announcement. "Ah, well, anything for the Grand High Vampire."

* * *

><p>Vlad watched Damien as he stood before his throne with a sullen expression and slouched posture, and wondered if he had been too harsh with the boy. "You wished to see me?" Damien muttered.<p>

"I want to talk with you about what happened the other night," Vlad said. He had placed the breather under hypnosis while he questioned her, but that could only guarantee that she told him what she believed to be the truth. Branaghs apparently had a tendency to get mixed up with vampires, and by some odd coincidence Damien had to go out and find one… unless it wasn't a coincidence. Vlad was not pleased, to say the least. "How did you find Lucy Branagh?"

"I wasn't looking for her if that's what you're asking. I met her in the park."

"And she didn't know who you were?"

Damien shook his head. "She didn't even know I was a vampire. You saw how surprised she was when she found out." When Vlad didn't say anything in response he added, "I'm sorry I ran away, but you shouldn't punish her for something I did."

"You were confined to your room because you ran away. What happens to Lucy has nothing to do with anything you've done."

"So why didn't you let her go home?"

"That does not concern you," Vlad said, his voice taking on a hard edge.

Damien looked away and mumbled, "Sorry."

"I realize you're upset, but I wouldn't be this strict if I didn't believe it was for your own good." Vlad's sharp eyes noted the way Damien bit his lower lip, apparently holding back a retort. There was still some fight in his nephew after all, though Damien was wise enough to restrain himself. Vlad continued, "Will you be more cooperative from now on?"

"Yes," Damien replied, slightly bowing his head.

"Then I think we are done here. You may leave."

But Damien didn't go anywhere. After a brief hesitation he asked, "Uncle Vlad?"

"What is it?"

"May I see Lucy? Please?"

Vlad noted a spark of hope in Damien's eyes as he waited for his reply. Although his initial thought was to refuse, he had just made significant progress with Damien, and it couldn't hurt to let Damien visit his breather friend if it would help keep him obedient. His nephew was still very young; he would learn the truth about breathers eventually.

* * *

><p>Jonathan couldn't believe his luck when Robin Branagh turned up on the doorstep of his slayer's HQ, stammering something about a kidnapping.<p>

"They've got my daughter," Robin said as soon as Jonathan opened the door. "Dracula's holding her captive. I never thought he would – that bastard!"

"Slow down," he instructed. "Take a deep breath and start at the beginning." Jonathan gestured for Robin to enter the HQ, which he did, giving the room a cursory glance as though to make sure they were alone.

"Lucy went up to the castle today and the vampires found her. Vlad's locked her in the crypts. You have to help me, please!" Robin trembled, either from nerves or anger, Jonathan couldn't tell which.

He pulled out a chair for Robin and grabbed a half-full bottle of whisky from his workbench. "Sit. Drink this," he instructed, holding the bottle out to Robin.

Robin immediately sat and took a gulp of the amber liquid, grimacing momentarily before taking another drink. Meanwhile Jonathan cleared another chair and sat opposite him. Robin slouched forward to rest his elbows on his knees as he held the bottle loosely in one hand and covered his face with the other. A minute passed in silence before he looked up at the slayer with fearful eyes. "What if they bite her? She's only fourteen."

Leaning forward, Jonathan reached out to put a hand on Robin's shoulder and looked him in the eye as he reassured him, "I promise I won't let that happen." He hoped he would be able to keep his promise. Vampires never had any regard for human life, no matter how young and vulnerable. Jonathan would have to act quickly if he was going to save the girl. "I'll tell you what I'm going to do. Tonight I'm going to go up to that castle and get your daughter back, but you're going to have to work with me."

"But the vampires outnumber us. We won't stand a chance against five of them."

"I've faced worse odds, but you'll have to follow my orders."

Robin thought for a moment, then asked, "What do you need me to do?"


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: This chapter was supposed to be uploaded back in May, but it's been waiting for a month for me to get around to editing it and adding it to this story. Though it's incredibly overdue, it's finally ready. On a side note: I'm finally done with a particularly miserable job (so happy it's over!), so getting caught up with everything that's happening here on FFN is my way of celebrating. Yay!

* * *

><p>Damien followed Dmitri down the winding stairs to the crypts beneath the castle. The cool air and darkness was perfect for vampires but not for the living, and Damien shivered against the cold as they descended. Upon their arrival at the crypt Damien waited patiently while Dmitri slipped a key into the lock and turned it, saying, "I'll lock the door behind you." He turned to face Damien, but did not step aside right away to let Damien through the door. "Remember, the castle is dangerous for breathers," he warned. "We don't want the girl to escape and suffer an unfortunate accident."<p>

Judging by the hint of menace in Dmitri's voice, Damien had a feeling that anything that happened to Lucy wouldn't be an accident. He could only stare back at the older vampire since he wasn't willing to risk saying anything in response. This proved to be a wise decision because Dmitri moved out of the way and returned to his usual disinterested tone as he said, "I'll be back to let you out in fifteen minutes." Damien nodded in understanding and pushed the door open, cringing as the ancient hinges squeaked. He stood in the doorway for a moment as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. A few candles flickering in cobwebbed holders provided just enough light to see by. The first thing he noticed was the coffin resting on a stone platform in the middle of the room. It looked new.

"Damien?" A timid voice drew his attention away from the coffin.

"It's me," he replied, following the sound to where Lucy sat on the floor against the wall the crypt. As soon as Damien stepped into the crypt Dmitri closed the door and locked him inside. He slowly walked toward Lucy, trying to keep her calm. "It's alright, I'm here."

Instead of being happy or even relieved to see him, Lucy turned away so her back was facing him. "Great. Now go away," she said, her voice sounding stronger.

"What?"

"I said, go away," she repeated without looking at him. "This is all your fault."

"How is it-?"

Before he could even finish the question, Lucy whirled around and shouted, "You set me up!" She moved as though trying to lunge toward him and Damien heard a metallic clanking sound. Only then did he notice the heavy iron shackle around her left wrist and the chain leading to an old stone gargoyle, where the other end was securely fastened around the gargoyle's neck with a padlock. "This was your plan all along, wasn't it?" she accused. "What are you going to do now, bite me? Drink my blood? You sick freak!"

Taken aback by her sudden outburst, Damien replied, "I warned you to stay away, didn't I?"

"How do I know it wasn't an act?"

If Lucy knew how horrified he was to see her captured and bound in chains she wouldn't have to ask. Damien wished he never told her where he lived, because then she wouldn't have found him and they wouldn't be sitting in a musty old crypt. "Honestly, I didn't know this would happen."

She frowned at Damien, her eyes still narrowed as she scrutinized him. Eventually she admitted, "I guess you did try to warn me." Lucy sat back against the wall again, shooing away a large brown rat with her free hand. The rat had been creeping toward a plate of bread and jam on the floor near Lucy. At least someone thought to bring her something to eat… if the castle's rats didn't get it first.

Damien sat down next to her and said, "I'm really sorry about all this."

"Did your uncle tell you why he's keeping me in here?"

"No."

Lucy's eyes shifted away from him and Damien followed her gaze to the coffin in the middle of the room. It was just the right size for a teenage girl, and from where they sat it seemed to ominously loom over them. Damien didn't know what to say, and apparently Lucy didn't either. She didn't have to. He knew what she was thinking. Minutes passed with neither of them saying a word, until Lucy said quietly, "Your uncle said he knows my dad… that they were friends."

Grateful for a distraction, Damien nodded. "They were, but I don't think they're friends anymore."

"So I noticed," she said dryly.

"Aren't you going to eat that?" Damien pointed to the untouched plate of bread and jam next to Lucy. She shook her head. "You should eat. You need to keep your strength up."

"I'm not hungry."

Damien knew he should insist that Lucy eat, but his empty stomach made the food look irresistible and there was no point in letting it go to waste. "Mind if I have it?"

Lucy pushed the plate toward him and Damien blushingly murmured a word of thanks as he accepted it. She watched Damien with interest as he ate. "I didn't know vampires could eat regular food," she said.

"Of course we can."

"But don't you drink blood?"

"No. I mean yes, vampires do, but I don't. I've had it a few times, but I don't like it," Damien answered quickly, feeling his cheeks grow warm as he spoke. Dropping his gaze to the last slice of bread, he picked at a corner of the crust as he cleared his throat and added in a slower pace, "What I mean is, vampires don't _need_ blood until we turn sixteen and gain our full powers. Even then we can eat all the same foods if we want to, but blood is the only thing that satisfies our hunger. At least that's what I've been told." Rather than see Lucy's reaction he concentrated on finishing his meal, staring down at the bread in his hand as though it held great interest for him. He chewed slowly to avoid having to talk, but was still painfully aware of Lucy staring at him the entire time.

Although Damien expected her to be repulsed to hear that he drank blood, she waited patiently until he was done eating to comment, "You don't seem like one of the undead to me."

Damien considered this as he set aside the empty plate. After a moment he replied, "Well, I still have a heartbeat and I need oxygen to survive, so I guess I'm as alive as anyone else."

"So you're just a kid?"

Once again Damien looked up at the coffin. "For now."

"And when you turn sixteen…?"

Before Damien could answer the question Dmitri opened the door of the crypt again. "Time's up," he told Damien. "Say goodbye to the breather."

Instead of getting up to leave, Damien glanced over at Lucy for a second before looking back at Dmitri. "I'm staying here."

As soon as the words passed his lips Damien cringed slightly, expecting Dmitri to grab him and flit upstairs before he could even think about resisting. It turned out that his assumption was wrong as Dmitri appraised Lucy with a bored expression. "Suit yourself," he said dismissively. "But don't expect this to change anything." Dmitri gave Lucy one last look before closing the door while muttering something about breathers that Damien couldn't catch.

Once Dmitri was gone Lucy asked, "What did he mean, 'don't expect this to change anything'?"

"I don't know."

Damien hoped Lucy wouldn't ask any more about it, and luckily for him she didn't. She appeared to be completely lost in thought. Damien was content to sit quietly instead of having to answer questions about vampires. He had a feeling that she would be better off not knowing. After a while Lucy clambered to her feet and walked over to the gargoyle that anchored the other end of the chain. She studied the restraints for a moment, and then, bracing one foot against the base of the gargoyle, she grasped the chain in both hands and pulled with all her strength.

Watching her struggle with the chain, Damien asked, "What are you doing?"

"I need to get out of here," she replied, her voice strained from exertion. "This part of the chain is rusted. With the right amount of force we may be able to break it." When Damien didn't take the hint, she dropped the chain and turned to look at him expectantly. "Aren't you going to help me?"

"I can't," he said apologetically. "I promised my uncle I wouldn't try to help you escape."

Lucy frowned, and Damien wondered if she was about to start shouting at him again. Instead of getting angry she said, "You heard that vampire. Do you really think they're planning on letting me go home any time soon?" She didn't bother to wait for Damien to answer the question as she continued, "When you were talking to your uncle earlier you called me your friend. If you were my friend you would help me."

"And a few minutes ago you called me a freak," he reminded her.

"I didn't mean it."

"I did. About the friend thing, I mean. But even if you break out of those chains, we're still locked in this crypt and there's no way you'd get out of the castle without being captured again." Damien wished he could help her, but he knew that any attempt to escape would only make things worse. Lucy had enough to worry about without giving hungry vampires another reason to feed from her.

Lucy stared at him with an unreadable expression for what felt to Damien like a very long time. Eventually she sank down to the floor again without saying another word. She gingerly touched the deep bruises contrasting sharply against the pale skin of her left wrist. Her recent attempts to free herself caused the shackle to dig into her wrist and scrape the flesh raw. Lucy cast a despairing look around the crypt before staring down at the shackle again.

"Are you okay?" Damien asked gently.

"Never better," Lucy replied. Her voice nearly cracked as she spoke, revealing the true emotion beneath her sarcasm. Lucy turned her face away but before she did Damien caught a glimpse of the tears starting to roll down her cheeks.

"Don't worry," he told her, trying to sound reassuring. "Everything will be alright." Damien hoped it was the truth.

* * *

><p>"Slaying the Grand High Vampire is no easy task," Jonathan said as he led Robin into the weapons storeroom of his slayers' HQ. "Add to that the fact that you have no training and you've never slayed a vampire before, it would be suicide for us to attempt hand-to-hand combat. So we'll keep things simple."<p>

As Robin gaped at the collection of slaying weapons Jonathan made his way over to a wall nearly covered with an array of crossbows from different eras. He took a crossbow down from the wall and held it out to Robin, who took the weapon and tested the weight of it. "That's the safety mechanism," Jonathan said, pointing. "You'll have to make sure it's switched off before you fire. Then all you have to do is aim for the heart and pull the trigger."

"And that will kill him," Robin said, staring down at the crossbow in his hands.

Jonathan nodded. "He'll be dust. Slaying vampires doesn't get any easier."

"Maybe, but Vlad's not exactly your average vampire," Robin warned.

"And this," Jonathan said as he selected another crossbow and held it for Robin to see, "is not your average crossbow."

Despite the crossbow's sleek modern design, Robin appeared skeptical. True, the weapon looked very similar to many of the other crossbows, but Jonathan hoped it would be the key to finally slaying Vlad Dracula. "It probably won't surprise you to hear that I've been trying to slay Vlad for a while," Jonathan explained. "I made the mistake of underestimating him the first time, and since then I have been working ensure that it does not happen again. I've experimented with the construction a bit, and after a few modifications, came up with what I can confidently say is the best stake firing crossbow ever made," Jonathan said proudly. "Stakes shot from this crossbow travel farther and faster than what you would find with older designs, which makes it perfect for hunting vampires. That includes their Chosen One."

"That's good," Robin muttered.

Noticing Robin's lack of enthusiasm, Jonathan wondered if he was having second thoughts and asked, "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

"I am," Robin said, though he didn't sound very confident about it. "I have to be."

The last thing Jonathan needed was for Robin to freeze up or have a change of heart at a crucial moment and get them both killed. "If you're not you should tell me now. We can find some other way to get your daughter back."

"No, I can do it," he insisted, his voice taking on a harder edge. "Just leave Vlad to me."

* * *

><p>It had been almost two hours since Robin left with Vlad's orders to lure Van Helsing to the castle. Robin said he knew where to find Jonathan, so what could be taking so long? Vlad was beginning to wish he had drained the breather and been done with it. Once he touched Robin's neck and felt the artery pulsing beneath his fingertips the bloodlust had almost been too much to resist. What he wouldn't give for some of that deliciously rich, warm blood to ease his thirst. For now Vlad would have to wait. Perhaps he would dine on slayer's blood before the night was through.<p>

For a long time the only sound in the hall was the steady ticking of the grandfather clock. Vlad stifled a yawn of boredom and checked the time again. Nicolai and Dmitri were likely just as impatient waiting for Robin to return as Vlad was, though they didn't show it. Eventually Nicolai said, "This is taking too long. Your breather isn't coming back."

Vlad stopped watching the clock to look disapprovingly at Nicolai. "He'll be here."

"So you trust him to keep his word? Breathers can't be trusted, especially that one. He'll warn the slayer that it's a trap."

"I never said I trusted him," Vlad replied. "Do you think I'm an idiot?"

Nicolai bristled slightly at Vlad's suggestion. "Of course not, Your Grandness, but by luring the slayer here you're—"

"I'm needlessly putting myself in harm's way," Vlad interrupted. "I know." He didn't need to hear Nicolai's lecture on the importance of his safety again. Nicolai had over a century of experience protecting the Grand High Vampire and was right about these things more often than Vlad would like to admit, but sometimes Vlad wished Nicolai was a bit more like Dmitri. At least Dmitri never argued with him. "I think I can handle one slayer."

"But—"

Nicolai began to protest, but Vlad interrupted him again, saying, "I know what I'm doing. Robin will bring the slayer to the castle, probably under the pretense of rescuing his daughter, and once they're here he will hand over Van Helsing to me."

"And if he doesn't? What if he betrays you again?"

"Then we will respond accordingly."

Gritting his teeth, Nicolai replied, "Very well, but if that breather makes one wrong move I will snap his neck."

"No," Vlad said sharply, his anger making his eyes flash red for a fraction of a second. "Whatever happens tonight, Robin Branagh is mine."

* * *

><p>Robin followed Jonathan up to the castle ruins. The decaying structures would give them cover until Jonathan could assess the situation and launch the next phase of the mission. Jonathan climbed up one section of crumbling wall and peered over the top to get a better look. Faint moonlight filtered through the clouds to the ground between the ruins and castle. It was still too dark to see much, but there didn't appear to be anyone guarding the outside of the castle. Once he determined that no one would see them approach he climbed down again and said to Robin in a hushed voice, "Okay, we're going to do this like we planned. Follow my lead and you'll make it out alive."<p>

"It's not me I'm worried about," Robin said grimly.

"We're going to get your daughter back, but right now you need to focus." Holding up one of the slender bolts he made especially for stake-firing crossbows, Jonathan said, "These stakes are coated with garlic. As long as they hit close to the heart the garlic takes care of the rest. Just remember you only have one shot, so don't miss."

"I won't."

Jonathan wanted to believe Robin could slay Vlad, but he remembered what a terrible shot he had been when he first started using a crossbow, and unless Robin possessed a natural talent for slaying he wouldn't be much better. Still, two slayers were always better than one. He was glad the second crossbow he brought with them was almost as good as the prototype he was letting Robin borrow. That way if anything went wrong Jonathan could step in to finish the kill. If there was one thing he was absolutely certain of, it was that Vlad wasn't going to get away this time.

After loading the crossbows and checking them over to make sure everything was in order, Jonathan whispered, "Let's go."

Jonathan led the way, walking briskly as he continued to turn his head this way and that, maintaining a constant lookout for vampires. He stood with his back against the wall of the castle near Robin but out of sight of anyone who answered the door. When he was ready he nodded to Robin, who knocked three times.

Renfield opened the door a few seconds later. "Oh, it's you."

In one fluid movement Jonathan stepped into view, leveling his crossbow at the servant. "Don't make a sound," Jonathan hissed, lightly pressing the point of the stake into Renfield's chest. He had a personal rule against hurting other humans, but if it came down to a choice between the mission or a human who spent his life willingly serving vampires Jonathan wouldn't lose sleep over putting the mission first.

Fortunately Renfield did not try to warn his master. Jonathan used the crossbow to force Renfield to step back so he and Robin could enter the castle. Once they were inside he handed the second crossbow back to Robin, keeping his own weapon trained on Renfield, who remained by the front door. He didn't take his eyes off Renfield as they silently moved towards the doors to the great hall. The servant had a history attacking slayers to defend Count Dracula, and Jonathan knew he would do the same for Vlad. Jonathan signaled Robin to watch Renfield so he could see what waited for them in the next room.

He peered through a gap between the doors and into the room beyond. Vlad sat on a throne at the other end of the room with his guards standing to one side, seemingly unaware of the slayer watching them. Three vampires. Slaying them would be difficult, but definitely not impossible. Taking a garlic grenade from his coat pocket, he pulled out the pin and threw the canister into the hall. There was no turning back now.

* * *

><p><em>It's about time,<em> Vlad thought as a metal cylinder flew into the middle of the hall and began spewing a cloud of garlic gas. He had been listening to the breathers' every move since they entered the castle, and was starting to get bored waiting for them to launch their attack. With a slayer's flair for the dramatic, Jonathan Van Helsing kicked open the doors and stormed into the great hall with Robin following close behind him. The garlic gas spread towards Vlad's throne, but he showed no hint of concern. He held up his hand and the cloud immediately stopped expanding. With a flick of his wrist he sent the gas back into the canister.

"Take one step and you're dust!" Jonathan said, stopping his advance and aiming his crossbow in the direction of the two guards. Seeing who Jonathan was addressing, Robin hastily turned his crossbow on the vampires as well. Vlad could hear Robin's racing heart as adrenaline spread through his veins. Jonathan's heart was beating slower than Robin's though still at an elevated pace. He was edgy – as he should be – but not in a state of near-panic like Robin. The slayer said to Vlad, "Branagh tells me you've kidnapped his daughter. Give her back or suffer the consequences."

Even novice slayers could stare into the face of certain death with a delusional sense of confidence, but the skill with which the slayer wielded the crossbow told Vlad that Jonathan knew what he was doing. Gone were the days of the Van Helsings being the laughing stock of the slaying community, but all the training in the world couldn't make Jonathan a match for the Chosen One. And as for Robin, well, this was obviously his first time handling a crossbow. One slayer and a civilian trying to slay the most powerful vampire to ever live… it was all Vlad could do to not laugh at the absurdity of it.

"Jonathan Van Helsing. This is most unexpected," Vlad said, suppressing a smile. "I thought someone would have killed you by now."

"Sorry to disappoint you," he replied. "Now release the girl, you disgusting leech."

The name-calling did little to insult Vlad. In fact, he was starting to have fun. "And if I don't?"

"Then we're going to dust every last bloodsucker in this castle."

"You can't slay us all," Nicolai snarled, baring his fangs.

Keeping the crossbow aimed at Dmitri, Jonathan brought his other hand up to rest on a stake in the holster attached to his belt. "I think you overestimate yourself."

"Nicolai is right, you know," Vlad said calmly. "Even if you manage to slay my guards, unlikely as that is, I will kill you both before you have time to reload."

"Not if I slay you first," Robin said as he took aim at Vlad, speaking for the first time since the start of the attack.

Despite being in the crosshairs of a stake firing crossbow, Vlad made no attempt to move out of the way or otherwise defend himself. Nicolai's eyes darted from Robin to his master, and Vlad recognized the expression Nicolai got whenever he intended to neutralize a perceived threat to the Chosen One. He was either about to kill Robin or place himself between them in order to shield his master. Vlad did not want to see Robin die. Not yet, at least, and not by Nicolai's hand. _Stay where you are,_ Vlad commanded telepathically.

Vlad locked eyes with Robin, whose hand proved surprisingly steady as he aimed the crossbow directly at Vlad's heart. It was a clear shot; all Robin had to do was squeeze the trigger. The ghost of a smirk passed over Vlad's face as he stared at Robin, daring him shoot. Vlad felt confident that he could easily catch the stake before it hit him, but by firing the crossbow Robin would be signing his own death warrant and forfeiting any chance of freeing his daughter. Perhaps Robin knew this as well because he hesitated with his finger on the trigger.

"What are you waiting for?" Jonathan asked, quickly becoming impatient with Robin. "Shoot him!"


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed chapter 15, and thank you all for being so patient in waiting for this chapter. I know it's been a long wait. I've been away for the last week and a half, but my goal was to get another chapter uploaded by tonight so here it is. It's on the short side because it's really part of a longer chapter that I ultimately decided to break into two chapters. I will add the second part tomorrow night.*

*update: Stuff has happened (as usual), and it will be another day or two before I can add the next chapter. It will be up ASAP.

* * *

><p>"Shoot him!" Jonathan urged Robin.<p>

Time seemed to slow down for Robin as he stared into Vlad's eyes, desperately searching for even the faintest spark that might give him hope that his friend was still in there somewhere. He wanted to believe that if some of Vlad's innate goodness still lingered within him it would prevent him from doing anything truly evil, but all Robin found was darkness. Vlad did not even blink as his cold, calculating gaze bored into him. It was like looking at a complete stranger. At the same time he could almost hear the vampire's voice in his head, taunting Robin as he had earlier that night when he threatened to kill him. Robin had been sure that it was the end for him, but once more Vlad let him live.

Normally Robin would have taken Vlad's act of mercy as a good sign, but he suspected that he was only alive because of Jonathan, or specifically, because capturing Jonathan was more important to Vlad than Robin's life. Once he had the slayer what would stop Vlad from breaking their deal and killing him as well? Robin could not be certain of anything anymore except that Lucy needed him to rescue her, and he was going to save her no matter what it took.

Robin knew Jonathan would die if he handed the slayer over to the vampires. Van Helsing had been willing to risk his life to help Robin, something Robin probably would not have done if their roles were reversed. And how did Robin repay him? By luring him into a trap.

It wasn't too late to slay Vlad and save both Lucy and Jonathan. But Vlad was the only friend Robin ever had, and despite the fact he had become a monster he still looked like Vlad. Even if Vlad's reflection had finally taken control of him, Robin didn't really want to slay him.

Caught between two unthinkable choices, Robin found himself unable to act. He only wished Vlad would come to his senses before Robin was forced to do something he would regret.

When Robin didn't shoot, Jonathan quickly aimed his own weapon at Vlad. Robin saw the movement out of the corner of his eye and snapped out of his trance-like state. Before Jonathan could pull the trigger, Robin warned, "Don't."

Jonathan turned his head to find Robin aiming the crossbow at him instead of Vlad.

"Put it down."

"What are you doing?" Jonathan asked in confusion.

"Please, just do what I say," said Robin, his eyes nervously darting to the vampires watching them.

Jonathan's initial surprise at being betrayed was clearly written across his face, but his expression hardened into one of absolute loathing as he slowly leaned down and placed his weapon on the floor while being careful not to make any sudden moves. Robin was almost as surprised by his actions as Jonathan was. He had acted without thinking when he saw Jonathan about to shoot Vlad. Once the slayer straightened up again Robin glanced over at the three vampires watching him intently. Robin stooped to set his own crossbow on the floor, and in less than a second the guards had crossed the hall and taken Jonathan captive.

The slayer tried to resist even though the guards were considerably stronger than any human. Standing on either side of him, they grasped Jonathan's arms and restrained him. "What did you do that for?" Jonathan asked Robin angrily as he struggled to wrench himself free from the vampires' clutches. "We had them!"

"I'm sorry, Jonathan. I couldn't take the chance; not after Vlad offered to free Lucy in exchange for you."

"And you held up your end of the bargain perfectly," Vlad said to him. As he spoke, Nicolai violently struck Jonathan in the ribs, eliciting a pained grunt from the slayer and putting an abrupt end to his resistance. The guards pushed Jonathan to his knees as he tried to catch his breath.

Robin inhaled sharply at the sudden attack, but did not dare protest. He could only watch the slayer kneel on the stone floor, his shoulders slouched and his head bowed not out of respect but in pain as he drew in deep lungfuls of air. Nicolai's deft hands took the argentallium handcuffs from Jonathan's belt and Dmitri forced Jonathan's arms behind his back. While the vampire ratcheted the cuffs tightly around Jonathan's wrists, the slayer lifted his head to cast an accusing glare at Robin as if to say: '_This is your fault._'

Too ashamed to face the slayer, Robin turned away. He had an idea of what was coming next, and he could only hope that Vlad would kill Jonathan quickly. "Just get it over with," he muttered to Vlad.

Vlad smiled at Jonathan. "He doesn't want to see you suffer. But believe me; if you do not cooperate with us we will make you beg for death before we're finished with you."

"You don't scare me," Jonathan replied, still sounding winded.

Before Vlad could speak again they heard the sounds of laughter from the foyer and a moment later Ingrid and Will entered the hall. "…I thought he was going to die of fright!" Ingrid was saying. Will was the first to notice everyone on the other side of the room and immediately stopped laughing, and Ingrid quickly did the same.

"You're supposed to be out hunting," said Vlad, not concealing his annoyance at their intrusion.

Will shrugged. "It was an easy hunt… three teenagers. We had a bit of fun with them first, but after we fed from them and erased their memories there wasn't much else to do, so we came back early."

"It's a good thing we did," Ingrid said as she surveyed the scene they had walked in on. "What's _that_ doing here?" she asked, looking pointedly at Jonathan. "Inviting your breather friends to the castle is one thing, but slayers? Really?"

"It isn't like they're here for a social visit," Vlad said irritably. "As you can see, we're a little busy at the moment."

"Oh, well don't let us interrupt you," Ingrid said as she made herself comfortable in one of the armchairs near the fireplace. "Mind if we watch?"

Vlad gave Ingrid a look that Robin imagined could have killed her if she weren't already dead, though it didn't seem to faze her. "If you must," he replied coldly. When Ingrid did not give any indication of changing her mind, Vlad turned his attention back to Jonathan. He softened his expression and his tone of voice to something less malevolent as he said, "You may not believe me, but I don't want to hurt you. We can end this peacefully if you just give us what we want."

"And what do you want?"

"Information – starting with how you knew I was in Stokely." Vlad's gaze shifted over to Robin before returning to Jonathan. Robin had no idea what spies the Slayer's Guild might have providing them with information about the vampires, but he wondered if Jonathan would accuse him out of spite.

Jonathan didn't take his eyes off of Vlad as he said defiantly, "I'm not going to tell you anything."

Vlad frowned at Jonathan as though deciding what to do with him, his silence as menacing as any spoken threat. Robin watched Jonathan bravely stare right back at Vlad, refusing to cower before him. After a moment's deliberation Vlad said to his bodyguards, "Find out what he knows. Do whatever you have to, but try to keep him alive."

"Gladly, Your Grandness," Nicolai replied, looking at Jonathan as though he would like nothing more than to rip out his heart.

"Vlad, you're not going to let them…" Robin trailed off, not sure if he understood properly. It _sounded_ like Vlad was instructing his guards to torture Jonathan, but that couldn't be right.

"Slayers are trained to resist hypnosis, so vampires use_ other_ methods to force us to give them information. But I guess he didn't tell you about this part of the plan," Jonathan said, scoffing at Robin's horrified expression.

"Just tell them what they want to know," Robin pleaded. He couldn't understand why the slayer refused to submit to Vlad's demands when he would be tortured if he didn't. How could he be so calm knowing what awaited him?

"Never."

At Vlad's signal Nicolai grasped Jonathan's arm and lifted him to his feet in preparation to march him from the room, but Dmitri did not step forward to help. Looking askance at Robin he said to Vlad, "We shouldn't leave you alone with the breather. Why don't I interrogate the slayer while Nicolai stays here?"

Vlad held out his hand and the crossbow near Robin's feet flew into it. "I think I can manage this one on my own," he told them, leveling the crossbow at Robin.

The bodyguards exchanged a glance, Dmitri apparently reluctant to follow Vlad's orders. It was a fleeting exchange, probably involving some amount of telepathic discussion, but Nicolai's expression clearly warned Dmitri to obey. Together the guards dragged Jonathan towards the dungeon.

Not long after they were gone, Robin asked tensely, "Do you have to point that at me?" He had not taken his eyes off the crossbow in Vlad's hands. The vampire had been keeping the point of the bolt squarely aligned with Robin's heart, and it was making him nervous. Vlad wordlessly shifted the crossbow so it was no longer aimed at him. "Thanks."

"Try to run and I _will_ shoot you," Vlad replied, his voice as hard and pitiless as his stare. "And I never miss."

Ingrid goaded, "Shoot him anyway. Or better yet, let me bite him. There's no need to waste all that blood." Ingrid rose from her seat as she eyed Robin hungrily.

"Don't tempt me to use this on you," Vlad warned her, slipping his finger onto the trigger.

"You wouldn't do it," Ingrid scoffed, but she did not make a move.

Vlad glanced over at her. "Try me."

Not willing to take the risk, Ingrid fell silent and sat down again. Robin took little comfort from Vlad's protection as the vampire sat watching him with the same predatory expression that had become all too familiar for Robin. An agonized scream ripped through the castle and Robin flinched. The corner of Vlad's mouth flicked upwards, revealing a hint of amusement as he watched Robin's reaction, but he did not say anything.

"Why are you doing this?" Robin asked through clenched teeth after another bloodcurdling scream sounded from the dungeon. He could only imagine what the vampires were doing to Jonathan at that moment that could make the slayer wail like that. It made him want to cover his ears to block out the sound.

"You heard Van Helsing. We can't hypnotize him," Vlad said casually.

"That doesn't mean you have to torture him!"

"No, but I do enjoy it."

After several more screams from the dungeon Will said, "You could have at least had them torture the slayer in front of us. We rarely get any good entertainment around here."

"You're free to go watch," Vlad replied.

Robin was grateful that he was not forced to watch what was being inflicted upon Jonathan; it was bad enough that he had to listen. Each scream was another weight added to Robin's conscience, and he didn't know how much more he could bear.

Just then Nicolai returned, striding over to Vlad's throne and standing before him. The vampire's hands were streaked with blood. He spoke quietly to Vlad in Romanian, and Robin wished he knew what Nicolai was saying. Had Jonathan finally given in? Robin hoped for both their sakes that he had.

"Bring him back up," Vlad replied in English. "I'll hear what he has to say."

Nicolai returned to the dungeon to get Jonathan and Robin felt a small measure of relief. With any luck the worst was over.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: As mentioned in an edit to my previous author's note, there have been a few things that got in the way of my uploading this chapter. I probably should have known better than to think I'd be able to upload two chapters in one week. On the bright side, this is the fastest update I've done in a long time. There is one chapter left to add, but at this point I've written five possible endings and I'm still very indecisive about which one to choose. Despite this I still hope to get the last chapter added within a reasonable timeframe.

* * *

><p>One of Vlad's most vivid memories was of the first and only time he witnessed the torturing of a slayer. It was just a few weeks after he became the Grand High Vampire, and he was still innocent to many of the brutal deeds that were commonplace in the vampire world.<p>

He could remember how the air was heavy with the stench of stale blood as he arrived at the chamber where the interrogators were waiting. They wore hooded cloaks that covered their faces, and bowed to Vlad as he entered. Vlad and Nicolai stood off to one side and Vlad looked at the various tools and mechanisms around the room. Some were medieval devices made of wood and iron, while others were newer and made of gleaming stainless steel. A locked gate barred a small alcove containing other metallic implements as well as jars labeled 'garlic juice' and wreathes of garlic. Nicolai quietly explained to Vlad that those were reserved for use on vampires, and were kept locked away for safety purposes.

There wasn't much time for Vlad to study his surroundings because soon two guards dragged a man into the chamber who appeared to be in his mid-thirties. Bruises marred the slayer's face, and his blonde hair was matted with dried blood on the left side of his head. He looked at Vlad but didn't speak as the guards handed him to the cloaked vampires and they began their work. The interrogators' techniques were methodical yet ruthless, and Vlad had to force himself not to avert his eyes as the slayer endured pain that he thought would have been unbearable. It would be unacceptable for the Grand High Vampire to show weakness, or worse, sympathy for a slayer. In a matter of minutes the slayer was begging for mercy and promising anything if the vampires would end his suffering. When he finished answering their questions they did just that.

Upon leaving the chamber Vlad swore he would put an end to the practice of torturing prisoners. It turned out to be one of the few things he had never been able to convince the Council to do, and so he settled for not watching any more interrogations. It was easier to deal with if he didn't have to see it.

Now as he waited for Nicolai to bring Van Helsing from the dungeons he realized that when he wanted an enemy to suffer, their agonized screams suddenly became the sweetest sound he could possibly hear. He knew his bodyguards didn't have much previous experience, but they could be creative when they needed to be. In fact, he was surprised Jonathan held out as long as he did. The slayer was tougher than Vlad expected, but he knew everyone had a breaking point; it was simply a matter of pushing them to it.

Robin's nerves appeared to be nearing a breaking point of their own. Though the cries had stopped, Robin was still pale and trembling slightly. The boldness he displayed when threatening to slay Vlad had vanished, and Vlad couldn't help gloating over Robin's reactions each time another cry echoed throughout the castle. In fact, Robin looked ready to faint at any moment, but Vlad felt no concern for him. He wanted to see the breather squirm. Vlad had shown that he could not be challenged, and any who attempted to defeat him would be punished. For all Robin knew, he could be the next one dragged to the dungeon and tortured.

Vlad expected to see Nicolai and Dmitri carrying a battered and bleeding slayer from the dungeon when they returned, but instead they were alone. "Where's Van Helsing?" he asked. "I told you to bring the slayer to me so I can hear his confession."

"I'm terribly sorry Your Grandness, but the slayer is dead," said Nicolai.

This was not what Vlad wanted to hear. Van Helsing wasn't dead a few minutes ago. "I thought I told you to keep him alive," he said, speaking slowly and deliberately. "What happened?"

"It's my fault, Your Grandness." Dmitri bowed his head. "Nicolai told me to continue the interrogation while he spoke to you, but I must have been too rough with the slayer. He died of his injuries."

Ingrid snorted derisively. "Incompetence."

Vlad had to agree with Ingrid for once; Dmitri should have been more careful. "This is unfortunate, especially when I was just informed that the slayer was finally ready to answer my questions," he said to his guards. "Tell me you at least got something useful out of him."

"It took some effort, but we persuaded him to give us the location of his hideout. He has an underground lair stocked with weapons and plans of the castle," said Nicolai. "As you already know, we got him to admit he had someone on the inside giving him information."

"But he wouldn't give you a name."

Nicolai briefly looked over at Dmitri before replying, "He was uncooperative to say the least, but after a few more tries to get the truth out of him he said he would only talk to you."

"Now that the slayer is dead we have no way of knowing who he was working with."

"I don't think it will be too difficult to guess who his informant is," Nicolai replied, fixing Robin with an accusing stare.

"Hold on," Robin said, slowly backing away from Nicolai. He looked desperately at Vlad for help. "You know it wasn't me. If it was, I would have slayed you." Robin was so focused on Vlad and Nicolai that he didn't notice Dmitri appear behind him. Dmitri grabbed him by the shoulders and Robin let out a gasp of surprise. His head turned to see who had caught him but he didn't fight back; he saw what happened to Van Helsing when he tried to resist. Instead he tried to compose himself and said to Vlad, "We had a deal. You said you'd let me take Lucy home if I brought you Van Helsing."

"We did have a deal, but you broke it when you lied to me about helping the slayer."

"But I didn't! I told you, he asked me to help him and I refused."

"You knew I was here, and you knew Van Helsing wanted to slay me."

"So does Ingrid. Maybe it was her."

"Don't be ridiculous," Ingrid said with a perfectly crafted sneer. "It wasn't me."

"You've always wanted Vlad out of the way."

Tired of watching Robin try to save his own neck, Vlad stood and said, "That's enough." He didn't raise his voice, but the unquestionable authority in his tone focused everyone's attention on him. Holding the crossbow down at his side he walked towards Robin to stand directly in front of him. Dmitri released his hold on Robin but stayed nearby as Vlad looked into the breather's deep brown eyes. "I want you to admit you spied on us and conspired with Van Helsing."

"I didn't do it," Robin insisted. "You have to believe me."

Though Robin was trying to be brave as he waited for a reply, Vlad could see the fear in his eyes. Fear was good. He let the silence hang between them for a few extra seconds before giving Robin a slight smile. It was an expression which contained no warmth or sense of reassurance; he used it for the sole purpose of unsettling the breather. As he predicted, Robin's heart sped up and he paled even further. Letting his fangs show for effect, Vlad replied, "I don't _have to_ do anything." With that he turned his back on Robin and walked back towards his throne.

_Try scaring a confession out of him_, Vlad said telepathically to Nicolai, handing him the crossbow as he passed by.

_My pleasure_, he replied, taking the weapon from Vlad and swiftly removing the bolt in preparation to threaten Robin with it. Almost as soon as the thin stake was in his hand Nicolai dropped it to the ground, his eyes turning black as he hissed in pain. "Garlic!" he snarled, clenching his burnt hand into a tight fist.

"Just like they used for the attack in the crypt," said Dmitri as he nodded in agreement. "No doubt we have the right slayer, and his accomplice."

It was only a fleeting comment, but something the bodyguard said caught Vlad's attention. His eyes narrowed at Dmitri as he asked, "What did you just say?"

"Slayers rarely use garlic juice on the bolts for stake-firing crossbows. It's unlikely this is a coincidence."

"Indeed, but I destroyed the stake in my crypt before you arrived. So tell me, how do you know they used a stake treated with garlic juice?" There was no way he could have known unless he was involved somehow. Vlad's brow furrowed with barely-controlled rage as he said, "It was you, wasn't it? You're the traitor." Dmitri's smirk vanished, confirming to Vlad that his accusation was correct.

"Seize him," Vlad said to Nicolai.

"Not so fast," Dmitri said as he grabbed Robin again, this time digging his fingernails into the side of Robin's neck. One quick movement and he could rip out the breather's throat.

"Please…" Robin gasped softly, though Vlad wasn't sure if he was asking Dmitri to spare him or for one of the other vampires to save him. Either option didn't seem likely.

Nicolai may have been fast enough to save Robin before Dmitri could kill him, but he looked to Vlad for orders. His duty was to protect the Grand High Vampire, not a common breather. Neither did Vlad show any intention of protecting Robin. As for Ingrid and Will, this was just the sort of action they had been waiting for, and they watched the standoff happily from their seats.

After a few seconds of no one taking action Dmitri asked Vlad, "What, you're not going try to stop me? You won't negotiate for his life?" He apparently expected Vlad would make a heroic attempt to save Robin. "Are you just going to stand there and let me kill him?"

Robin's terrified expression reminded Vlad of a gazelle with its neck caught in the jaws of a lion – those same large brown eyes staring ahead in a blind panic as he waited for the kill. Vlad on the other hand was unimpressed by the display. In fact, he was slightly insulted that Dmitri thought he would lower himself to begging for him to spare the life of a breather.

"Release the human," Vlad commanded, his voice echoing with power. Using his mind he reached out to Dmitri and forced the vampire to bend to his will. Vlad had only used his powers to their full extent a handful of times before, but as soon as he gave the order Dmitri lowered his hand from Robin's throat. His hands shook slightly as he tried to fight Vlad's influence, but he could not resist the power of the Chosen One. Once he was free Robin put a safe distance between himself and Dmitri, instinctively moving closer to Vlad for protection. In the same deep voice Vlad said, "On your knees." Again Dmitri did as he was told, lowering himself to the floor so he knelt before Vlad.

Dmitri didn't fight back as Nicolai pinned his arms behind his back as he had done with Van Helsing only a little while earlier. Once Dmitri was restrained Vlad loosened his hold over him and said, "I never would have guessed it if you hadn't mentioned the garlic. Now your mistake is going to cost you dearly."

"It doesn't matter what you do to me," Dmitri said, the triumphant smirk returning to his face. "We've already won."

"Won what?"

"_You_."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Vlad asked in a threatening voice.

Dmitri gave a short laugh and said, "Don't you see? All the Brotherhood of Shadows ever wanted was a Grand High Vampire worthy of our respect. You were too weak. You wanted to make us like you… a useless breather-lover… hardly a vampire at all. Your ways would have led us to extinction."

"My ways would have allowed us to live in peace!"

"Do you really think the breathers would accept us? The ones who know the truth fear and hate us, as they should! We needed a Grand High Vampire who would put the breathers in their place, but with each year that passed it became more and more likely that the prophecies were wrong about you."

"So the Brotherhood tried to kill me to get me out of the way."

"That was the plan at first, but my poison didn't work as I hoped." He smiled at Vlad's surprised expression. "Yes, that was my doing as well. You wouldn't believe how easy it was. No one questions one of the Grand High Vampire's bodyguards when he wants to inspect the blood intended for his master. But then we came here, back to the place where it all began, and who should we find but the Chosen One's boyhood friend Robin Branagh. It was almost too good to be true."

Before Vlad had a chance to react to Dmitri's revelation Robin stepped forward. Probably feeling bolder now that Dmitri wasn't about to tear out his throat, he asked, "What does this have to do with me?"

"It has everything to do with you! When the _Chosen One_ was sixteen he slayed the previous Grand High Vampire to protect you, did he not?"

Robin glanced up at Vlad momentarily and then slowly nodded. "He did."

"And you never thought that could have been significant? The Brotherhood had to delve into the Slayers Guild's archives of all places to learn more about the events that took place shortly after his transformation, but according to them the young Vladimir was well on his way to becoming every bit the evil, bloodthirsty vampire the prophecy predicted. Then something happened that no one expected. He was given the chance to save himself from execution if he would kill you, and he chose to let you live. He was ready to die for you; _a breather._"

"So you were wrong. He wasn't really evil… back then." He frowned at Vlad, who found himself unable to look Robin in the eyes and instead shifted his gaze away.

"Not quite. There was a bond between the two of you, one that he carried with him all these years. You're the reason he still cares so much for breathers. I knew that all I had to do was break that last tie to humanity and there would be nothing left to keep him from embracing the evil that's been inside him all along, just waiting to be let out."

Obviously proud of himself, Dmitri chuckled again. "So I contacted the slayer and told him the Grand High Vampire had returned to Stokely. He was only too happy to assist a mysterious stranger who also wanted to see the Chosen One dead. He followed my orders exactly." He sighed, "Too bad I had to kill him to keep his mouth shut, but Vladimir wasn't supposed to find out about him. The Chosen One was meant to think you were the one trying to slay him, and then kill you. That's all there is to it, really."

It took all of Vlad's self-control not to rip Dmitri's head from his body as the traitor gloated over his evil deeds. As his bodyguard Vlad trusted Dmitri with his unlife, only for Dmitri to be the very one who tried to slay him. Worse, Dmitri manipulated him from the very beginning, playing the role of the eager and loyal apprentice to get closer to Nicolai and therefore Vlad, encouraging him to give in to his darker impulses, and more recently directing his suspicions to Robin. He couldn't believe he never realized it. Dmitri had made puppets of them all.

"You used me," Robin said quietly, echoing Vlad's thoughts. "Van Helsing, too… and all because you thought it would make Vlad evil?"

"It worked, didn't it? Vladimir didn't even have to kill you, but a few more minutes and he probably would have gone through with it. I would've liked to have seen him bite you."

Vlad had heard more than enough and flew over to Dmitri in a blur, picking up the dropped stake along the way. He grabbed at Dmitri's hair, wrenching his head back to look him in the eyes and pressing the point of the stake into his chest. "I should put this stake through your heart right now," he snarled in Dmitri's face while ignoring the burn of garlic against his skin.

"Yes, do it. Give the traitor what he deserves!" Will cheered from his seat by the fireplace.

"Yes, what he deserves!" Ingrid agreed.

Dmitri leaned forward against the stake. "Go ahead; slay me. Prove me right – you are finally truly and completely evil."

"You're wrong." Vlad disagreed with Dmitri's claim out of habit, though his words lacked any real conviction.

"Don't try to fight it, Chosen One. That evil is the source of your power. You used to be weak, but now see how much stronger you've become!"

In all of Vlad's years as Grand High Vampire he had never encountered a vampire so eager to be a martyr to a cause. He would have slayed Dmitri immediately, but then he had a better idea. "Staking you would be kind. You want to see evil? I'll show you," Vlad hissed. He lowered the stake and stood up straight as he released his hold on the other vampire. Looking down at his disgraced bodyguard, Vlad said, "You are guilty of treason, fraternizing with slayers, and the attempted slaying of the Grand High Vampire. The sentence for these charges is death. You will be taken back to Transylvania for a _traditional_ execution by dawn. _That_ is what you deserve."

Fear registered in Dmitri's eyes for the first time as Vlad announced his fate. "But you never…"

"Never order that particular method of execution?" Vlad said lightly when Dmitri trailed off. "You're right, but I think you'll find that this is only one of many new things I'm willing to try. I'm sure the Brotherhood of Shadows will be very proud."

Not even a trace of Dmitri's former confidence remained as he cried out, "No!" He tried to pull away from Nicolai's grasp, but Will and Ingrid eagerly flitted forward to help restrain him.

"Take him away."


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Has it really been four months since the last chapter? I didn't expect it to take that long to get the time to finish this. I was also terribly indecisive about how to end this story, which didn't help. So after an incredibly long wait, here's the final chapter...

* * *

><p>Robin watched speechlessly as the vampire was dragged from the room, shouting threats against Vlad the whole way. The echoing cries soon died away to be replaced by an almost suffocating silence. Vlad walked back to his throne and set the stake he had been holding upon the armrest. He looked down at his hand, the skin of his palm and fingers scalded from where he touched the stake. He did not reveal a hint of pain as he closed and opened his hand as though testing it while he examined the blistered skin with a look of calm detachment. Within moments the burns were healed and Vlad lowered his hand to his side again, still completely ignoring Robin.<p>

Robin was beginning to wonder if Vlad forgot he was in the room. When he finally spoke, it wasn't Robin he addressed. "Renfield, please return Miss Branagh to her father. Nicolai will give you the keys." Robin looked around before finding Renfield standing by the door. He did not remember seeing Renfield enter and had no idea how long he had been there. The last time he had seen Renfield was before he and Jonathan confronted Vlad, when he had been threatening the wretched servant with a crossbow. He concluded that Renfield must have snuck in sometime during the standoff.

Renfield bowed and replied, "Yes, Master."

Once Renfield had gone, Vlad and Robin found themselves alone for the first time since the night Vlad came to his house. That was the night he told Vlad to leave and never come back. Now he had a feeling that Vlad dismissed Renfield precisely so they would be alone again. Robin had no clue what to expect next. Although Vlad appeared calm, Robin didn't dare let his guard down in case it was another trick.

Vlad turned his gaze on Robin once more, his expression unreadable. Human and vampire watched each other without speaking until Vlad finally broke the silence. "You saved me."

At first Robin wasn't sure he heard Vlad correctly. "What are you talking about?"

"What Dmitri said was true." He looked away briefly, as though searching for the right words. "When I was sixteen… I was standing at the edge of an abyss. You were the one who kept me from falling – from losing myself to the monster."

Robin shook his head. "I don't think I did." He wished he could have saved Vlad from becoming evil, but Robin had seen enough to know that Vlad had been on a downward spiral into darkness since his transformation. Vlad did not respond, his face as expressionless as a mask. His complete lack of emotion only served to reinforce Robin's belief in what he was saying. "Look what you've done. The Vlad I knew would never kidnap my daughter or allow a human – even a slayer – to be tortured like you just did."

"I'm sorry about that."

"You're sorry? That's the best you can do?" Robin challenged, his eyes narrowed even as he tried not to scoff aloud at Vlad's reply. If Vlad was going to bother to apologize he could at least _try_ to sound remorseful.

Robin waited, trying to stare Vlad down, but he was unshakable. "Do you want me to swear to change and say I'll never hurt anyone again? I'd be lying if I did," Vlad said in the same, perfectly calm tone. He didn't even blink as he added, "But you're right about one thing – the Vlad you knew died twenty years ago."

Taken aback by Vlad's sudden admission, Robin didn't know how to react. He expected Vlad to concede that he struggled to stay in control of his darker side, but to say the human part of him – the Vlad for whom he had cared so deeply – was dead? Vlad might as well have punched him in the gut. Although Robin had automatically opened his mouth in preparation to respond he closed it again when he couldn't find anything to say.

Vlad's expression softened upon seeing Robin's stunned reaction, showing for the first time a hint of sympathy for his old friend. "That isn't what you wanted to hear, is it?"

"I don't know," Robin admitted. He knew he should be grateful for Vlad's honesty, even if the truth was unpleasant. It was probably unrealistic to expect Vlad to never kill anyone again. Killing was a part of Vlad now, or at least it was a part of this bloodthirsty creature he had become. Robin remembered what Dmitri had said, that this was what the other vampires wanted... a remorseless killer. "I just don't want to see you try something like the world domination Dmitri was talking about."

"Do you really think I would do something like that?" Vlad asked with a frown.

"Master, I've brought the girl," Renfield announced from the doorway. Robin whirled around to see Lucy step into view from behind Renfield.

She stood for a second looking as though she had seen a ghost. "Lucy!"

When Robin spoke her name the look of shocked disbelief melted away and she rushed forward into her father's arms. "We heard screams," she said as hugged him with all her strength. "I thought…"

Robin held her tightly for a moment, never wanting to let go. When he released her, Lucy sniffed and wiped at her eyes. "Are you hurt?" he asked, fearing what the vampires might have done. Looking her over, Robin saw her cheeks were wet with tears and her left wrist was mottled with fresh bruises and abrasions.

"I'm okay," she replied as Robin brushed her hair back to check both sides of her neck for vampire bites. "I just want to go home."

Much to his relief, Robin didn't find any sign that Lucy had been bitten. Finally convinced that she would be alright, Robin hugged her once more. He had been afraid he would never see her again, and now that he had Lucy back all he wanted was to leave the castle and never return. "Let's go," he said, nodding to the door as he mustered a reassuring smile.

Lucy nodded in agreement but then cast a look back over her shoulder at the young boy who had also appeared in the doorway leading from the crypts. Robin looked closely at him for the first time. He looked so innocent… like Vlad used to. It sparked a feeling of déjà vu in Robin that stopped him cold. Was that the nephew Vlad told him about?

Vlad said Robin's name softly and he looked up. "You won't see me again, but I promise that you and your family will always have my protection, no matter what." Vlad sounded almost as if there was more he wanted to say, but he held back. Robin held Vlad's gaze for a long moment, looking for the last time into the eyes of the vampire who had been his friend. Then with his arm protectively around Lucy's shoulders Robin led her out of the castle, all the while wondering how he would explain all of this when they got home.

* * *

><p>The following night Vlad emerged from the crypts to find stacks of boxes and crates filling the great hall. "No, everything from the kitchen goes in that pile," Ingrid was telling Renfield as she pointed to one stack of boxes. Renfield added another box to the pile and Vlad noticed the word 'frajile' scribbled on the box in Renfield's shaky handwriting. The servant disappeared into the dining room while Ingrid turned to see who had come in, though upon seeing Vlad she did not bother with a greeting.<p>

"Planning a trip?" Vlad asked.

"You could say that." The loud crash of glass breaking sounded from the dining room and Ingrid shouted, "Renfield! That had better not be the crystal or I'll have your head!" Regaining her composure once more, she turned back to Vlad and explained, "We're getting out of here. It's only a matter of time before more slayers show up and try to take their revenge for Jonno's death." She scowled at Vlad to make it clear whose fault that was and added, "Besides, I've had enough of the Branaghs causing trouble to last me for three centuries."

"Where are you going?"

"The same place you are. I want Damien to grow up with his own kind, and you've got that huge castle; I'm sure there's space for three more." Vlad nodded slowly, knowing that no matter what Ingrid said, Damien would not accept vampires as his own kind. Ingrid continued, "And since we'll be around, it would be a convenient time to appoint me to the High Council, don't you think?"

Leave it to Ingrid to have an ulterior motive for moving to Transylvania. A seat on the Council would give her the power she always wanted. "I can't appoint anyone to the Council, and they would never elect a woman to join them."

"I'm sure we can work something out," she said so sweetly that Vlad wondered what evil scheme she was planning. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to make sure Renfield doesn't break anything valuable."

Ingrid glided away to the dining room and soon Vlad heard her barking a mixture of orders and threats at Renfield with such enthusiasm that Vlad wondered if she wouldn't be helpful to have on the Council. He would rather have her as an ally than an enemy, that much was certain. Vlad smiled to himself at the thought of Ingrid threatening the unlives of any Council members who disapproved of her joining them.

As much as his sister would thrive in vampire society, his nephew would be less than happy in their new home. Life in Transylvania meant complete isolation from breather culture. All the things that Damien enjoyed – breather food, breather clothes, and breather books – were not allowed. Damien would be expected to live a traditional vampire life complete with biting practice, telepathy lessons, and blood drinking. If the training had the intended effect he would already be more vampire than human by the time the actual transformation began. As for Robin's daughter… Damien would never see her again. It was most likely for the best, though Damien would probably blame Vlad for being forced to leave Stokely. With that in mind, Vlad decided it was time to have a talk with his nephew.

* * *

><p>Damien didn't know much of what happened the previous night, but whatever it was, it was serious. He and Lucy had heard the gut-wrenching screams that sounded like someone being tortured. She started crying openly at that point, convinced that it was her father being killed. There was nothing he could do to soothe her. She didn't say anything when Renfield entered the crypt, though Damien immediately demanded to know what was happening. Renfield ignored Damien as he freed Lucy's arm from the shackle and told her to follow him. She did as she was told, wiping the tears from her face with her hand. Damien followed closely behind them, thinking it was odd that his uncle sent the servant instead of one of his guards. He waited in the doorway as Lucy was reunited with her father. When they were about to leave Lucy looked back at him and he wanted to say goodbye, but his uncle spoke first and he didn't get the chance.<p>

Earlier in the evening Damien's father came to his room at sunset to inform him that they were leaving Stokely to live in Transylvania, and instructed him to start packing his things. The news took him by surprise. He asked why but all he got for an answer was, "We're leaving tomorrow night."

Damien was busy folding the heap of clothes on his bed when he heard a knock at his door. "What is it?" he called, thinking it was his father checking to see if he was finished packing.

Instead the door opened to reveal Vlad standing outside. "May I come in?"

"Would it make a difference if I said no?" Damien asked.

"If you want me to leave I will."

He would have told his uncle to go away, but something in Vlad's voice made Damien curious to hear what he wanted to say. "Come in," he said, picking up a pair of jeans and folding them while keeping a wary eye on his uncle.

The change in Vlad was obvious. He had abandoned the traditional vampiric clothing in favor of a simple two-piece business suit with a dark grey shirt, and his threatening aura had softened to a somewhat more benevolent presence. Damien was not fooled by these changes; Vlad was still the Grand High Vampire and therefore dangerous, though his youthful appearance disguised his incredible power.

"So I guess you got what you wanted," Damien said as he put the jeans with the rest of the folded clothes.

"What do you mean?"

"We're moving to Transylvania. You've proved your point; vampires and breathers can't live together."

Vlad wordlessly held out a worn photograph to Damien, who frowned but took it from him and studied the faces of the three teenagers. "This is you," he said in astonishment. His uncle's appearance had changed a bit since the picture was taken, but it was still clearly him.

"And that is Robin and his sister Chloe," Vlad replied, referring to the other two people.

Damien looked up from the photo to scrutinize Vlad. "Why are you showing me this?"

"Because I want you to know that I wasn't always this way. I was like you. All I wanted was a normal life, and Robin Branagh was a part of that." Vlad paused for a moment and added, "Perhaps you felt the same way about Lucy."

At hearing Lucy's name spoken aloud Damien felt a pang of sadness. He would probably never see her again. Damien shook his head and gave the photo back to Vlad. "What difference does it make if I'm just going to turn into an evil vampire anyway?" He looked at the mirror where his reflection stared back at him. "You can't change your destiny."

"Damien, listen to me." The gentle request compelled Damien to meet Vlad's gaze. "Maybe it was my destiny to be the Grand High Vampire, maybe not. I made my choices in life. But I'll tell you this, you can't give up fighting for what you believe in just because someone tells you you're destined to be evil."

"But it's impossible. No one has ever defeated their reflection."

"That is true. The merging will happen, but this isn't about an epic battle between you and your reflection when you turn sixteen. It is about all the years afterward; the daily struggle against the evil inside you. You have to fight it, because if you don't… well, you saw what happened."

Damien nodded in understanding, but Vlad didn't say anything else. He appeared to be thinking about something because his eyes took on a far-away look. Then just as quickly he snapped out of it and said with a smile, "I'll let you finish packing."

Vlad started to leave, but Damien's voice stopped him. "Uncle Vlad?"

"Yes?" Vlad asked, turning back again.

"Do you really think I can be different? Not evil?"

"If anyone can, it's you," Vlad replied with a reassuring smile.

Vlad shut the door behind him as he left Damien's room. He paused for a moment on the landing, listening to Damien resume packing.

In truth he didn't know what the transformation would bring for his nephew. Damien might be one of the few vampires would could resist the temptations of evil, or he might become a murderous scourge upon humanity. Only time would tell what Damien's future held. He could only hope that it was better than his own.

For so long it had felt like Vlad was searching for some way to regain the humanity of his youth, but the more tried to hold on to it, the more it slipped away. He used to be able to close his eyes and clearly remember Robin's smile, just as it had been captured in the photograph Vlad treasured in their years apart. Now he closed his eyes and all he could see was Robin's face in the moment when Vlad hinted at killing his daughter. There had been times in the past when he gave into his darker impulses, but this time Robin had the misfortune of being the victim.

He knew he should be sorry for what he did, but the truth was as he told Robin… he felt dead. Though Vlad was reluctant to admit it, giving in to evil was the only thing that made him feel alive anymore. It made him crave that feeling of vitality like he craved blood. It made him wonder if evil really was all that was left of him. If that was true, then perhaps being dead wasn't so bad after all.

Vlad could hear Nicolai in the great hall asking Ingrid where he had gone, that it was almost time to leave. He exhaled softly and continued down the stairs.

* * *

><p>A few weeks after escaping from the castle, Lucy still couldn't fully believe it wasn't all a dream. She promised her father never to tell anyone about the vampires. Even if she tried to talk about what happened at the castle, who would believe her? To the rest of the world vampires didn't exist.<p>

It probably would have been best if she just forgot all about it. She tried to forget, but every once in a while she would look up and see the castle on top of the hill. On a sunny day it looked deceptively harmless, almost picturesque against the background of a light blue sky. The sight of the castle reminded her that it wasn't a dream. There were real vampires out there, bloodthirsty and evil… except for one.

One warm day in late summer her curiosity got the better of her and she ventured up the hill again. She knew she shouldn't go back, but the sunlight on her face made her feel safe as she walked around to the tower and called for Damien. "Are you up there, bat boy?" She waited, squinting up at Damien's window, but he did not appear. "Damien! It's me, Lucy!" Still no reply.

She went back around to the front door and noticed it was slightly ajar. She peered into the blackness within the castle, but couldn't see anything. If she dared to enter the castle she would no longer have the sunlight to protect her from any vampires lurking in the shadows. Damien's uncle had promised her father they would be safe from vampires in the future, but she was still hesitant to put his promise to the test. Nevertheless she wanted to see Damien again to thank him for staying by her side that night in the crypt. Pushing the door open some more, she called, "Hello? Is anybody here?" Again there was only silence.

Stepping inside the darkened castle, Lucy used the light from her mobile phone to illuminate the ground in front of her as she made her way through the foyer into the great hall. A thin layer of dust already covered the floor, but that was all she found as she scanned the room with the light. Everything else was gone. Lucy carefully but quickly made her way up the stairs to the tower. She hoped against all odds that he would be there. When she arrived she found the door open and the room empty. The castle was completely abandoned.

* * *

><p><strong>Epilogue<strong>

Many years later Vlad walked alone toward the cemetery gate, his footsteps so light that they made no sound on the path. Unusually dark clouds covered the sky and cast a gray gloom over everything, so that it appeared to be dusk rather than the middle of the day. Once at the gate he stopped. He did not dare to go any farther, and he did not need to. From where he stood he could see the mourners gathered at the graveside.

He had come all the way from Transylvania to pay his last respects to Robin Branagh. He had been informed of Robin's passing the same night it happened, reportedly of natural causes. Vlad hoped that Robin died peacefully and without pain. For someone so well acquainted with death in its many forms the concept of dying of old age was unfamiliar to him. Now as he stared at the casket waiting to be lowered into the earth, he wondered why he had ever wished to be human… to live a life in which death was inescapable. He looked at the mourners in turn as they stood quietly facing the casket, each knowing that they too were on the same steady, inescapable march to the grave.

Most of the mourners did not notice the solemn young man dressed in black, but one middle aged woman with dark hair looked up as though she could feel Vlad watching her. Her brown eyes widened and her breath hitched as she met his gaze. He gave a single nod in answer to the question she must have been thinking. Yes, it was really him. He had not seen Lucy Branagh since she was a child, but Vlad knew she remembered him. She looked away to see if anyone had noticed him, giving Vlad the chance to leave before she could bring attention to his presence.

Vlad arrived at the car so quickly that he seemed to appear out of thin air. He had chosen a black sedan for his visit – something with darkly tinted UV-filtering glass though otherwise inconspicuous.

The driver was waiting to open the door for Vlad, who gracefully ducked into the back seat where Nicolai waited patiently. Vlad picked up a file folder he had left on the middle seat and flipped it open to check their itinerary. The car would take them back to the airport and from there a private plane would fly them back to Romania.

"It is unfortunate Damien couldn't be here," Vlad said, flipping through the papers as the car picked up speed.

"Yes, it is," Nicolai agreed. "But I'm sure he knows it was the right choice to stay behind and oversee the preparations for the Walpurgis Night feast."

In reality Damien had not volunteered for the task, but there were some orders he had to follow whether he liked them or not. Nicolai knew this because he had witnessed the heated exchange between Damien and Vlad over the menu. Their conversation – if it could be called that – involved a fair amount of shouting and ended with Vlad threatening to have Damien thrown in the dungeons for insubordination. Vlad did his best to be reasonable, but sometimes it was difficult to keep his nephew in line. Vlad merely nodded in agreement.

When Vlad did not say anything else, Nicolai redirected the conversation. "Do you still plan to meet with the Council before the feast begins?"

"Yes, I want to make the announcement as soon as possible," Vlad replied without taking his eyes off his papers. "I have waited a long time for this day to come."

"I'm sure the Council will be surprised to hear the news."

Vlad glanced up at Nicolai. 'Surprised' wasn't exactly the word for how he predicted the Council would react. "They shouldn't be. They've known of my intentions for years."

"I don't think they believed you would actually do it," Nicolai said with a grim smile, though his tone was deadly serious. He paused, the smile fading from his face, and Vlad knew what he was thinking even without using telepathy. He was thinking Vlad was making a mistake, but he didn't want to say it out loud. Eventually he said, "For better or worse, you're going to change the future for all vampire kind."

As they drove through the streets of Stokely, Vlad could see the humans going about their day, all completely unaware of the vampire watching them from behind the tinted glass. "I'm going to do more than that," he replied. "I'm going to change the world."

_End_

* * *

><p>AN: I hope you enjoyed reading Homecoming. I'd like to end this by saying thanks to everyone for taking the time to read this and for being so patient with me and my slow updates. Thanks also to everyone who reviewed. Please let me know what you think of the finished story.

My next long story is going to be a bit different from my other ones. It's very AU now that the third and fourth series are out (yes, it's been sitting on my computer for that long), but it's a first-person perspective story told from the perspectives of Jonno and Eric Van Helsing. It has more blood and violence than this one did, so I'm going to give it an "M" rating instead of "T". I haven't written a summary for it yet, but here's a short excerpt…

_Without warning the doors swung wide open. I flinched inwardly at the roar that went up from the crowd, then steadied myself. The candlelit chandeliers hanging from the ceiling made the room seem positively bright after being in the shadowy antechamber. The servants prodded me in the back to signal me to walk, and we followed a few steps behind my captor as he marched down the aisle lined with cheering vampires. I stared straight ahead, trying not to make direct eye contact with the vampires as we passed by. Never in all my years of slaying had I seen so many vampires in one place; there must have been over a hundred of them. As we approached the throne at the far end of the hall I saw him… Vladimir Dracula, the Chosen One and Grand High Vampire._

I'll start posting chapters in January, so if it sounds interesting look for it then.


End file.
